Is this a permanent thing or what?

[Jill]

My almost 18month old DD has been playing up lately. The last 4 weeks or so she's starting to refuse to get into her stroller. Everytime DH and I have to wrestle with her to get her in. We sometimes manage to get her in and strapped but before long she'd start climbing out with the strap still buckled in! When we are in shopping centres I don't really mind as DD is happy enough to be in the shopping trolley (at this stage) but other than shopping centres, it's hard. And just a couple of days ago she's started showing signs of refusing high chairs. We went out to lunch on Sunday but the meal was abruptly cut short as DD was howling and and trying to get out of the chair. Even at home I have to struggle to get her into her chair every meal time. This is very upsetting. I really enjoy going out with DD but with her playing up like this, going out is no longer something I look forward to, instead it's making me feel down We are going overseas next month. Just imagine DD without her stroller and high chair? I don't know what to do, I really don't Has anyone had this experience with their toddlers? How did you deal with it?

[fionas]

DD1 would not stay in her stroller. I gave up one day after she literally started headbutting the footpath (it was one of the lightweight, low-to the-ground strollers) and trying to get out. From then on I had to let her walk with a harness (she was a bolter and would not hold hands). Same with high chairs.

DD2 is also showing signs of the same. I gave up on the highchair a couple of months ago as every meal was impossible, I'd constantly be trying to get her into her highchair and restrap her. I now set the girls up at their 'little table' with little chairs or let DD2 kneel on a normal chair at the dining chair.

[ss_storm]

Can you give her an option? Eg. You can either sit in the stroller or hold my hand. If she doesn't want to hold your hand then in she goes.. For overseas can you take a sling/carrier with you instead?
With the high chair maybe she just wants to feel more independent. Is she old enough to sit on a booster seat on a big chair? We have a fisher price booster seat with adjustable height and it has been fantastic. You can also get cloth seats, that are really just to help them to not fall off the chair that you could take with you?
Toddlers are all about being independent and pushing boundaries

[trishalishous]

^ agreed! We give options here too.

[Jill]

Thank you ladies. I do have a booster chair and we use it when we are out and no high chairs is available. I can't let DD kneel on a normal chair as she just can't sit still. I use the harness on DD too and like yours fionas, she is a bolter too. But I find it hard when we have far to walk especially in the hot sun. Maybe it's not DD, it's Mum here trying to get used to DD and her new independence Oh yes ss_storm, DD does push her boundaries and push my button too . Should have heard her screaming the place down when DH and I tried to put in her in the stroller. I think people hearing her must have thought we were abusing her Btw we recently purchased a carrier for our upcoming overseas trip. I just thought the carrier would be perfect for outdoors as the place we are going to does not have footpath for strollers/wheelchairs like we do here. We also have a small portable stroller that we can use in shopping centres or for DD to have her nap.

[Calluna]

DS gave away the high chair a few months ago, if he won't sit on a big chair he is given the option of sitting in the chair or the high chair. Sometimes he even chooses the high chair!
He refused to sit in the pram from early on but recently has allowed me to use it again. If he resists I explain what we are doing and when he can get out again, this is good enough for now.
The sling is a good idea. Get one that supports your back so you can walk for long periods of time without pain. I have a ring sling that is fabulous, I have a bad back and it's never my back that gets sore, even after hours of wearing him. It does hurt my shoulder after a while though.

Giving toddlers choices helps them to feel a bit more in control of their lives. Can you introduce choices in other areas? (not an open question, that's too hard- something like "do you want the red shirt our the blue one?") It might help.


(just don't ask about the car seat that is a nightmare I am yet to find a solution to.)

[Jill]

DS gave away the high chair a few months ago, if he won't sit on a big chair he is given the option of sitting in the chair or the high chair. Sometimes he even chooses the high chair!
He refused to sit in the pram from early on but recently has allowed me to use it again. If he resists I explain what we are doing and when he can get out again, this is good enough for now.
The sling is a good idea. Get one that supports your back so you can walk for long periods of time without pain. I have a ring sling that is fabulous, I have a bad back and it's never my back that gets sore, even after hours of wearing him. It does hurt my shoulder after a while though.

Giving toddlers choices helps them to feel a bit more in control of their lives. Can you introduce choices in other areas? (not an open question, that's too hard- something like "do you want the red shirt our the blue one?") It might help.


(just don't ask about the car seat that is a nightmare I am yet to find a solution to.)

That's a good idea. It may take some time but DD is bright enough to get the idea of making choices soon enough. I really want to drum it into her that there's stroller time and time when she can walk on her own (so to speak but it's usually with the harness on or holding daddy's or mummy's hand).Thanks once again...

[Shanti]

My DD1 was like that at 18mo!!! Absolutely would not want to use her stroller! If we made her she would scream murder until we took her out. It was a hard phase but after a few months she outgrew it and would let us put her in.

At age 3 now she's happy to sit in our double pram or walk next to us

Don't worry it will pass I promise!!

[BlackRose]

Oh yeah... Sounds familiar! They're just learning to assert their independence. It will pass... Eventually!! (I hope!!)