Jekyl and Hyde

kderham

DS turned one and someone flipped a switch inside him! He used to only cry for 3 reason: he hurt himself, he was hungry or he was tired. Now he cries over EVERYTHING (we are talking his ball rolled the wrong direction - everything). He seemed to be having really intense separation anxiety but when we pick him up, he just tries to climb us or jump out of our arms. It got so bad I thought something might be wrong but the pedi said he was absoluitely fine. I also thought it might have been because we had family in town over his birthday and that really threw him but that was 2 weeks ago. Did anyone's child go through such a night and day phase? (I'm really hoping its just a phase). What did you do that seemed to help? I really just want my happy little man back.

traveltheworld

DS turned one 2 weeks ago and this started happening too! He would be perfectly fine one day and then completely inconsolable the next, or be perfectly fine in the morning and then would burst into tears if you so much as look at him in the afternoon. I think maybe he is just more aware of his surroundings and finds the lack of ability to communicate frustrating. On his "bad" days, we go out a lot, I read with him lots (seems to be more calming than other games/toys where he'd get easily frustrated), and I pour myself a large glass of wine after he goes to bed. I also try to make sure he is eating well - I noticed that there's a slight correlation with eating well and crankiness. There are days where he seems to need to eat a lot more than normal and if I didn't realize that and provided extra food, he'd be extra cranky, even if he wasn't showing his usual hunger signs. Good luck!

blu-eyedwife

There's some sort of 12 month regression where kids become little fussbuckets.  It's a combination of finally understanding they want something and not being able to express it.  So they are constantly frustrated.  And they don't have any sort of patience or comprehension of how to get their wants met.  Everything is immediate and everything is high drama.  Of course, this often coincides with those 1 year molars coming in which complicates the situation further because now you have a frustrated little monkey who also doesn't feel great.

They do grow out of this.  I promise.  I've been there and at times it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's there.

dragon_chica

Sounds about right.  Wait until they turn 3 and can actually argue back and with vehemence too!

Netty_3

Toddlers are interesting.  They are more cognizant of what's going on, but are unable to communicate what they want, need, or feel.  As you can imagine that is extremely frustrating for them.  So there will be more tantrums, and more off the wall behavior, while he tries to figure out how to convey what he's thinking.