Newborn and toddler

We have had struggles and some really rough times. However we now make sure we each spend at least 20 mins on a work day playing with our toddler one on one. Baby in a different room. Longer on weekends. It's made such a difference. We let him choose exactly what he wants to do in that time, nothing directed by us. I don't know how old your toddler is, but sometimes sending him to his room to play till he calms down helps too. Asking him to help get stuff when I have baby seems to help too, like getting a muslin or something that's dropped on the floor. Hang in there, it gets easier xx

Yes I’m with you too! My toddler is 2.5 and he has been SO difficult lately. Hard to know whether it’s his age or this new stage or a bit of both. But yes we are having wild tantrums, everything is NO, refusing almost all food, started hitting and being ‘naughty’ on purpose to get a reaction. Finding myself wishing the time which makes me feel so guilty and also starting to lose my temper with him which I really don’t like

We are in the same boat over here! Got an almost 3 year old and 6 week old. She's very affectionate towards her baby sister but definitely different with us in terms of behaviour. Doing things for a reaction, hitting, biting! I'm working on spending as much one on one time with her as I can and trying to get her involved. It won't last forever, we have got this 💜

Yes us too. 8 weeks in and still having more bad days than days. Trying to do activities just with her when baby sleeping but hasn’t really helped, hoping this phase ends soon

I know how you feel! My son is 3 so we’re dealing with the threenager stage and his school have categorised him as suspected ADHD which is great 🥴 but to be fair I’ve found that (although it’s rubbish and I feel guilty on her) putting my daughter down for a nap and spending a long period of time with him one on one just us not tidying not doing any thing else has really worked a treat and he enjoys that time to not have to worry about where she is, if she’s going to cry or anything, we can be as boisterous as he likes, it’s really special because I miss it too tbh!! We’ve also been letting him help with little things like talking to her while we get her ready and ask to get clothes, a brush etc. but he does get a bit upset still when she cries because he might of woke her up but we just say it’s not him, she’s a baby and they wah wah wahhhh make a joke of it 🤣 but yeah it’s been a headache but we’ve been trying to adjust xx

Same same same! No help as of yet. It's been hard recently too as my toddler is sick and I've been trying to be distant from her (to protect baby sis from her germs) so I feel v guilty and v distant too at the moment.

Hoping it gets easier! X

Same here! 8 week old and a 2 year old, trying to stay calm myself to teach him to stay calm has been really hard. I have to keep reminding myself how young he really is and that there’s been big changes, it’s not his fault. One thing we have done is try to make them feel equal, so as much as we tell the 2yo ‘no we can’t do this because the baby’ etc we are also telling the baby (of course they don’t understand) ‘no you have to wait your brother needs me’. This way he can see he’s not being pushed out/replaced and he is just as important. We also introduced a sticker chart for nappy changes/getting dressed as this was one of his biggest refusals, there’s no reward or aim but just getting the sticker and lots of praise so he can have the visual that he did something. A lot of it is age related and just them wanting independence so we’re trying to let him do/try more things himself regardless of if he can or not. Someone told me at 6 months it got easier for them so waiting for that 😂 xx

Right here with you. I have a 2 year old and a 12 week old and his toddler has honestly been extremely hard since my second arrived. It’s constant from the moment he wakes, till he goes to bed! It’s exhausting.