need some help on how to deal with my 20 month old

United States
January 5, 2008 11:54pm CST
My daughter, 20 months old, feels like she should come before anyone else in our home and it is really starting to effect my two older son's because she is so demanding of not only me, but them as well. Her fits are getting way out of hand and I have tried everything from putting her in her room until she stops to spanking her bottom...not hard of course, but enough to get my point across. To her though it's not a big deal and she continues to demand from everyone. WE are all exhausted, especially me. There are days i wish i could just not have to get out of bed and just have a day where i wasn't being demanded so much by her or to actually be able to have that time with my boys that they so desperately need as well. Any suggestions on how to handle this situation? All would be appreciated. God bless
4 responses
@SViswan (12051)
• India
6 Jan 08
My 13 month old son is the same.He's very demanding. I'm not sure if this will help but I ignore it. He pulls at my dress and whines sometimes and I just go about doing my stuff. It was hard at first (especially since my older son was never so demanding) but I taught myself how to tune out the tantrums. I hope someone comes up with a better idea.
• United States
8 Jan 08
I hear ya. I try the ignoring thing, but i can only ignore it so much. I'm getting better at it or sending her to her room until she can stop behaving the way that she does, but sometimes it doesn't always work out as well as planned. thank you for responding and God bless
@SViswan (12051)
• India
8 Jan 08
I understand....my son can scream his head off when he doesn't get his way. I'm so not used to the screaming. He's 13 months now and I hope this ignoring works in a month's time or else I'm gonna go crazy!
• United States
10 Jan 08
I hear ya! I have been dealing with this for so long now, sometimes I think i'm past the point of crazy. LOL! Seriously though, it really does get old after a while no matter how much you try to ignore it or whatever. I'm hoping the older she gets and the more she's able to understand that it's not acceptable that things will get better. They just have to. LOL! Thanks for responding again and God bless
@wmaharper (2316)
• United States
6 Jan 08
I think some children are just wired differently. My youngest can throw a tantrum like no body esle. He is sixteen months old. He bangs his head on the floor, screams, wails and wallows. He will walk around the house whining and crying and sobbing hysterically because you tell him no. He will purposely run himself into walls and turn his face to them and scream at the top of his lungs. Usually what I do, is I give him a chance to calm down, if I see he is not, I will pick him up and hold him for a minute, if it calms him, then great, but if he's really upset, it just makes him angrier, then he goes to his crib. I know he's just upset because he's not getting what he wants, and I feel I shouldn't have to listen to his fit, so in his crib he goes, I give him 2 or 3 minutes to calm down, and I take him out after that, and he's usually fine, if his fit continues, he goes back in for few more minutes until he is ready to calm down. I find I am not as stressed about it.
• United States
8 Jan 08
thank you both for your responses. I try the whole putting her in her bed, but unfortunately she's not in a crib anymore so she just gets up and comes back. I try not to stress about it so much, but that is harder for me than most because i have an anxiety disorder. Things stress me out very easily and then i go into anxiety attack mode. it's awful at times, but i deal with it the best i can. as far as the other, i totally understand about the strong willed child issue. I have never seen a child so stubborn or determined. Neither one of my boys were like that. Anyways, i know that things have to get better as she gets older and can understand things more than she does now. It has to. LOL! thanks again and God bless
• United States
6 Jan 08
I have started with this method. My son hates the word no and will throw himself down just like yours. He is 18 months and has always been rather a strong willed little guy, but the last three months or so have gotten particularly difficult. Often he wakes up from his nap particularly frustrated. It seems everything I do just pisses him off. So, instead of getting all upset I throw him back in bed to calm down. It used to get me all frazzled, feeling like I couldn't do anything right because it all made him cry, but he has a huge vocabulary that he doesn't use very often, it seems it would be best if he started using his big boy words. Of course he likes to tell me "no"!
@Ohara_1983 (4117)
• Kuwait
6 Jan 08
think that she is only 20 month old, and she is the little princess in your house, i think you can solve those problem for your daughter, maybe just she need more time on you & try to avoid all what she need, just let her eat & her stomach full so she can play alone. or the most thing is bring her in tiny little angels so they can help you how to handle those problem.
• United States
8 Jan 08
Thanks so much for responding. i definitely need to find something for her. the hard part is that my boys are in school all day so she gets my full attention until they get home. she definitely thinks she is the princess and that everyone should do exactly what she wants, even when the boys come home. I know as she gets older though i will be able to sit her down and explain to her that they are my children to and that they need my time as well as she does. thanks again and God bless
• United States
6 Jan 08
I have a 3 year old daughter who was like this. I also have a 6 year old son who was in your son's situation. I came to the conclusion that this was just my daughter expressing herself. She is very tough, and I love it. I want a strong girl who won't take any crap from anybody. She is still demanding and I too tried everything as you have. My husband works funky hours and it is me and her and my son most of the time so I had to deal with it more than anyone. I don't spank much I just tell her no or tell her what she is doing wrong and let her throw a fit as long as she is in a safe place to do so. And, I don't let it bother me. My child is difficult but it does not have to drive me insane. I hated taking my strong-willed daughter with me to the store also. I'm sure you do as well. Yours is only 20 months old, if she is anyting like mine, I can tell you it will get better. She's the baby girl.
• United States
8 Jan 08
Thanks for the encouraging words. Makes me feel alot better that things will eventually get better. She is definitely the baby girl and she knows it to no end. Aggravating at times, but cute at others. I want my daughter to be strong to, just like you want yours to be. sometimes it is just so difficult dealing with such a stubborn, strong willed child. thanks again for responding and God bless