I think it’s fair to say the terrible two’s are hitting us earlier, that or it’s just my pregnancy hormones kicking in a lot more in the final weeks, he is most definitely pushing buttons and misbehaving a lot more than normal.
My lovely little cuddly boy, has gone from just that to slapping people around the face in the past couple of weeks. I have no idea where he has seen this, why he may be doing it, but I can only assume its his age and I think it’s the fact he wants to be put down. He seems to only do it when you are holding him, so he’s in arms reach of your face and he literally clobbers you one.
Now the first time it happened to me, I laughed, as you do sometimes when they are being silly, I thought he was just messing around and being naive I didn’t think anymore about it. Until he did it again and again, then did it to daddy and the doggies!
I have tried the usually discipline routes: telling him no and I’ve even tried smacking him back, but neither worked, he still does it. Now he has started slapping Nanna, Nanny & Grandad which has really upset me. It’s making me feel I am doing something wrong or haven’t done something at all, I’m assured by both my mum & mummy in law that it is normal. I used to swing my head back and headbutt if I was being held and hubby used to bite, so I’m glad in a sense we are just getting slaps as they don’t hurt as much haha, but why has he started to do this now!
It’s almost like he knows life is about to change with his brother or sister literally around the corner, and he wants to play up and get some attention now! š I hope it’s just a phase and I hope that it calms down.
I have resided to ignoring it, not giving him attention when he does slap and if I am holding him at the time I simply put him down and tell him naughty.
We will see how that goes…
We went through exactly the same, and a delightful pushing stage, then an equally pleasant screaming at the top of his voice for no reason phase. It is perfectly normal, if you are lucky they only do one, if your really unlucky they will go through them all, so pleased we seem to have missed the biting bit but there is still time!
My big boy is almost 3 so we are trying to explain that when he hurts us it makes us sad because he understands the meaning of sad. I use really low tones say it hurts me in my heart and makes my heart sad when he slaps me or pushes me to which he says oh no I’m a good boy etc.
Much harder at 17 months as they don’t understand but I would continue ignoring it, you are absolutely right it is a cry for attention, they can sense change is ahead when a baby is round the corner. It is a hard stage but it does get better I promise! xx
Oh wow it does sound frustrating, I think I just need to persevere with the naughty and putting him down. Thankfully, touch wood, it hasn’t happened outside of the house – he doesn’t do it if you have him picked up in town or anything like that, so it’s just when we are home and he wants to get down or doesn’t want whatever it is that is happening at that moment.
Fingers crossed it won’t last too long… š
Thank you for your comment Lucy I really appreciate it x