My DD is a similar age. She is also high energy and has started having little tanties. She cries for a second, pauses and if I don't I give her what she wants instantly, she plonks on her bum and puts her head on the ground (very carefully as she has discovered it can hurt lol). I can't help but laugh when she does it because it's so cute but it is also very frustrating. I'm consistantly surprised at just how much she does understand. She can usually answer most yes or no questions I put to her. I have found it helps to ask her questions. For example, DD hates having her nappy changed. But if I ask her "DD can I please change your nappy?" she will (sometimes) nod and let me lie her down. Admittedly she wants up the moment her nappy is off and will try & run away so I have to be super quick. If I just grab her & lie her down, she will go into meltdown. Same with BF. I ask her if she wants a feed (usually obvious as she's clawing at my top). She nods & I feed her. If she goes away, I put it away and when she comes back I say no more. She gets upset, throws a little tantie again, then starts playing again. If she tries again, I will offer her water instead and she is usually happy with that. I find when she's not feeding "nicely", she isn't necessarily wanting a feed.

Another thing that helps me to deal with "naughty" behaviour is to try to see it from their point of view. To them, they are just having fun. They don't realise it's naughty. They forget that that cupboard is out of bounds. They see a new toy to play with. Even better, it's mummy's toy so it must be much better than whatever actual toy mummy is trying to substitute it with. The other night, she was getting under my feet in the kitchen so I showed her how to use a saucepan as a drum & she was happily entertained for a few minutes, she was happy because she was close to me & I was able to cook dinner. I know my DS loves to help. What he doesn't realise is that helping is usually more of a hindrance. But when I can let him do something that makes him feel like he is helping, even if it makes a mess, then he is so happy. He's a bit older though & I don't think that DD is at the same stage. I have found that distraction and removal from the situation are the best ways at this age.

I do think it's ok to let them have a little whinge occasionally. Who doesn't need to have a bit of a vent? Another example - DH went away for the weekend. I desperately needed a shower. DS was happy to watch TV but DD followed me to the bathroom and cried a bit as I got into the shower. Just a whingy cry, not hysterical or anything. After a minute or two, she stopped crying & went away. She came back with a couple toys and played with them until I finished (by which time, DS had also come in and decided to clean his teeth so I got him to give DD her toothbrush too). My point is, if comforting her when she's whinging isn't helping her, maybe it's ok to let her get it out of her system. If you can, a change of scenery often helps as PP have suggested.