Horrible dinner times

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I'm at my wits end. D cries from 5:30 to bath time (6:30-7) every damn night. The whole time. Unless I'm holding her. If any tiny thing happens at dinner, everything is over - which is hard in a completely non verbal 14 mo old to keep things going "well". She doesn't like what we are having and she flips out.

I just cannot deal. I'm actually hiding from her in the other room because she stops when I'm not there. My day started at 3:50 am and I just walked in the door 20 minutes ago and she's been crying for 19 minutes and 30 seconds. Because I'm not there, she and her big sister are hanging out in their chairs having a blast but when I go in there, she starts right back up.

And this is whether she's had multiple naps, a long nap, a snack, etc.

What the hell is going on??? Like I've started to literally dread coming down after work because she won't stop.

[SoonerTexan]

I swear 12-18 months is the asshole stage

[Ladybug]

Will she watch TV with you? Make dinner easy, even cereal, and watch TV together. TV saves my bacon because it distracts the kids. Things will get better, just put your oxygen mask on. You are not creating bad habits, just gettting through a stage.

[alotofyarn]

I wish I had some advice. E is pretty hit or miss. Last night and tonight she's had an all out screaming fit the second we put her in the bath, and she normally loves baths. Yesterday I just took her out and wiped her face, but today she really needed a bath, so thankfully hubby was home so I held her screaming while he quickly washed her. Then we had to get a diaper and pajamas on her. She's finally calmed down on that she's nursing. I have no idea what's going on.

[OrionGrad]

Hugs! J is getting me back now for being such an easygoing toddler up to this point. It's like he hit 26 months and completely lost his mind.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

is she teething? How frustrating (understatement).

H is like this getting her diaper changed - screams, kicks, rolls, but the second A says "Hi baby sister, can I change your diaper?" she lays down and waits silently. A actually got her completely changed from jammies and a wet diaper to a new diaper and clothes for the day without my help 😳

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Will she watch TV with you? Make dinner easy, even cereal, and watch TV together. TV saves my bacon because it distracts the kids. Things will get better, just put your oxygen mask on. You are not creating bad habits, just gettting through a stage.

No TV in/near the kitchen.

I damn near put her on the porch you guys. I just couldn't deal for one minute longer so I left and cried outside until DH got home 3 minutes later. I'm so tired and still working - waiting on someone to send me something to review so I'm MSNing but I just could not deal. C wasn't like this...I'm lost. And I swear it's insane because it's not like discipline works or you can do a timeout or tell them to knock it off or whatever. Whatever, tomorrow night she can have a fucking banana for dinner (it'll be like Christmas to her) and I'm not dealing with it.

[Ladybug]

I've totally been there. It sucks. I wish I had a better answer than "I've been there too." It get sooooo much easier and better, I'm ignoring what everyone has said about adolescence.

[MrsC]

is she teething? How frustrating (understatement).

I was wondering this too. C has been doing the same thing this week, refusing food, crying, smacking food out of my hand. The worst week I've ever had with this child and his top molars are coming in. I think that's the cause of the majority of it, at least I hope so. He eats if I'm not sitting with him so I give him some then walk away. I works for a while anyway.
It's so incredibly frustrating. I'm sorry

[gem]

Sympathy. I've given into letting my toddler sit on my lap and nurse intermittently throughout breakfast and dinner because it's the only way to get 5 minutes to eat without him screaming and/or dancing on the table. I'd love to teach him to sit in his chair, eat the nutritious and delicious meal I lovingly prepared (ha, I mean bought), and engage in stimulating conversation with the rest of us, but I can't fight that fight every night. It didn't feel fair to the older child, who actually does want to download on the day over dinner. Really hope that "surviving a stage, not forming habits" piece is true.... especially for me. I'm getting pretty used to eating with at least one boob out. Could make for some awkward business lunches.

[Pollyanna]

You know how you can hold it together for strangers and some family but when you're on the edge you feel completely safe freaking out to your husband? It's kind of like that for young toddlers, and sooo much of it happens at dinner time. They are just barely holding it together and then they see mama and know their "person" is here, they don't have to hold it together anymore, they can let all those awful feelings out. And they do. And it's exhausting. And it's inconvienent. And it is always at the very worst time. And every single time it throws you for a loop because it is so consuming. And you will cry and they will cry and everyone will feel out of control and then one day it will stop. And the next day it will still be better and then you will quickly forget what it was like.

I don't have a solution but I do get it. All I can offer is if you need to cry, cry. If you need to serve dinner on the porch to restore sanity, do it. But try to take a deep breath, and just hold her. Do what you can do with her in your arms. This is one of those things that eases the more you ease into it with her.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

You know how you can hold it together for strangers and some family but when you're on the edge you feel completely safe freaking out to your husband? It's kind of like that for young toddlers, and sooo much of it happens at dinner time. They are just barely holding it together and then they see mama and know their "person" is here, they don't have to hold it together anymore, they can let all those awful feelings out. And they do. And it's exhausting. And it's inconvienent. And it is always at the very worst time. And every single time it throws you for a loop because it is so consuming. And you will cry and they will cry and everyone will feel out of control and then one day it will stop. And the next day it will still be better and then you will quickly forget what it was like.

I don't have a solution but I do get it. All I can offer is if you need to cry, cry. If you need to serve dinner on the porch to restore sanity, do it. But try to take a deep breath, and just hold her. Do what you can do with her in your arms. This is one of those things that eases the more you ease into it with her.

Thank you for this. Thank you all. I'm crying just reading the responses.

At my computer since 5:30 AM, I just need to get through the next few weeks with this awful new project and it'll be better.

[Thirteen]

I had a night like that last night myself, but it was my oldest trying my patience and not the baby.

Living in the tension of loving and caring for opinionated, ever-changing small people feels so difficult some days!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[spaz]

Ok, I cannot find the hug symbol... So hug,, hug, hug,hug.....

I don't miss those days. I hope today is better.

[Vanquisher]

Hugs. That's really, really hard. Can you take a walk with her in the stroller? Take her for a drive? I know it's another thing to do and maybe not optimal in the weather, but maybe it'll help? The witching hour is no shit. Hugs.


Heidi