So, the last two days at my house has been, well, insane. I’m not joking, there’s been nothing but crazy going on here from (before) sunup to (well-after) sundown. My toddler is teaching the baby all sorts of bad habits (well, “habits” being a loose term), and now both of them are on their loudest volume, racing from one corner of the house to the other, trailing disaster in their wake. Fun times being a mom. Heh. So, I did some thinking about Why Your Toddler is Climbing the Walls (and what to do about it), and this is my mommy-thesis regarding the facts of the case of the crazy-just-a-little-older-than-a-baby. Heh.
Why Your Toddler is Climbing the Walls (and what to do about it)
- Nap Time. Sometimes, they’re freaking out, doing crazy things, just because they’re tired. So, try a nap. Even if they don’t regularly take one, they might need a nap today. Just give it a shot–even if they fuss at first, if they NEED a nap, they’ll take it, if you just give them the right conditions.
- Boredom. Just like adults, littlies get a little stir-crazy sometimes. This would be the day to break-out the big guns–well, no guns, because they’re just toddlers, and the first rule of gun safety is not to hand a gun to a toddler. But maybe break-out the play invitations or slime. You know they’ll play with it–and it might be enough to break the crazy-cycle.
- Hungry. Yeah, Hangry has a toddler-sister called Crungry. Crazy-Hungry is her full name. And she makes little toddlers go bonkers when they’re in the early stages of peckish. A little snack, or a full-blown meal, might just be what your kiddo needs. Or, something else for them to throw at you. Whatever. Just try it. Heh.
- Blowing-Off-Steam. Yeah, they’re not drunk on apple juice and high on cheezy-crackers. But, they MIGHT have a bit too much sugar in their system. Or just have a wild-hair up their diaper. Sometimes, they just need a few minutes to open themselves up full-throttle to the world and allow the fun to wash over them. And sometimes, it’s ok to let them be a kid.
- Exploring. A toddler’s curiosity really drives them. Everything is new and a little bit fun (or sometimes a lot fun). And that curiosity that killed the cat was the thing that ate a hole in that toddler’s pocket. She just had to know. Had to figure out how it all worked–today. And that’s ok. It’s not like she’ll ever get another opportunity to learn it all for the first time.
- Testing Limits. Because, just like a teen, a toddler wants to know just what the rules really are. And it’s up to you, mom, to decide just how hard-and-fast those rules need to be. And notice, the word “need” there. Because sometimes when we “want” a quiet room not full of yelling-at-the-top-of-their-lungs-singing-while-strumming-that-guitar-they-got-for-Christmas-toddler…well, sometimes the rule for “inside voices” just can’t be enforced in the same way as you would if, say, you were in the middle of a library.
- Attention-Seeking. This is probably the biggest in our house. With the 13-year old that needs relatively constant supervision, the baby that’s growing-up too fast, two dogs, and LIFE, I think my toddler feels like she sometimes gets the short-stick. Mostly because she’s super-well behaved most of the time. But sometimes, she just needs an extra hug. So yelling at the top of her lungs, running, jumping, climbing on things–that’s the only way she knows how to get attention…even though I’d happily just give her a hug if she said so. Silly girl, not knowing how to talk yet…So, play with them, give them that one-on-one time. That’s what worked for my girl today. Now we’re cuddling. Like the best of friends that aren’t in crazy-town. Heh.
So, what do you think? Do you have any additional ideas for why your toddler is climbing the walls? Lemme know in the comments!