High pitched, ear peircing screaching toddler!

lmt · Sep 15, 2009 4:08AM

Hi all, hope you don't mind if i join in?

Just wondered if anyone else is suffering this... My lo (also 18m) has a terrible habbit of screaching so loud it is unberable!! She is not crying though. It is at it's worst in the car, so bad it is almost dangerous sometimes as it is almost imposible to concentrate. Also in the buggy or the trolley. Needless to say when we are out and about I get some awful looks from people (who have prob never had kids) as if to say why don't you do something about that! I think it's just a case of not liking being strapped into anything but obviously sometimes that's just too bad and she just has to put up with it. I have tried giving her toys, dummys, snacks e.t.c to entertain her in these situations but needless to say they all get chucked away very quickly! I have also tried to just ignore it but she just does not stop.
Any ideas?? Or am i doing something wrong?
Thanks for reading

ChristineDean · Sep 13, 2009 5:14PM

im not sure what to suggest it sounds like you are doing all the right things to distract her. it may also just be a phase-not very helpful sorry

ColaBottlesareyummy · Sep 13, 2009 5:28PM

My DD does exactly this and there's no stopping them I'm afraid! Just ignore it or carry on with the distractions. I think it's just that they're discovering their voices do more than just babble!! I get the funny looks too, esp when my 4 year old decides it's fun to join in, monkey!!

MumMum3000 · Sep 14, 2009 8:56AM

Ruby does this too.
She did it this morning in WHSmiths and frightened a dear old man nearly to death!!
She's starting to become quite naughty so i'm hoping to nip it in the bud but have no idea how.
Back to the baby books I think!
If you find a soloution please let me know!!!! xx

lmt · Sep 14, 2009 3:03PM

Thanks for the replies!

We actually managed a drive today without the screaming. I found 3 dummys lurking in the car seat and gave my lo all of them to play with!! Absolutely ridiculous and bad parenting im sure but it worked and we didn't get in an accident so I was pretty happy. Not a long term solution though.

FAO Amy & Ruby... My lo is starting to go through a naughty phase at the moment as well. She is very strong willed to say the least! Sometimes i think my "discipline" is working and the next moment she laughs at me!!! Let me know if you find the answer lol.

Makka_Pakka2 · Sep 15, 2009 4:08AM

I haven't had this but I agree that ignoring or distraction are probably the best tactics.

HOWEVER, I try this with Samuel all the time and it definitely doesn't always work!

He sometimes hits me and says "Ow" at the same time, so he know's what he's doing. He's not hitting me hard - I think he's just 'play fighting' - but he mustn't carry on doing this. Sometimes I think he does it just because he wants to hug me afterwards and go "ahhh". When he hits me I tend to pick him up, put him on the floor and say "that's naughty you mustn't do that" and walk away, which invariably ends in tears but he runs after me and I hug him and kiss him after giving him a few seconds to contemplate the bad behaviour.

Good luck with the screaming anyway!

J x

High pitched, ear peircing screaching toddler!

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