2 Year Old Out of Control Please Help!!!

[concernedmomma1981]

Ok so my son just turned 2 Monday. He has always been "explorative" and energetic is an understatement. He likes to be independent, which is not always a good thing like when he doesn't want to hold my hand near streets and darts off. Or if we are in a public place he will run away and I have two seperate instances where I would let his hand go for a moment, and turned around and he was gone. I recently purchased a "leash" just because I can not keep up with him, and he runs faster then I do. That's the first part of my problem. Second and this has been just recently started testing me for lack of a better word. I will tell him no stay out of the cabinets, or no do not climb on the arm of the couch, and he absolutely ignores me!! I will slightly raise my voice. Nathan do not climb on the couch get down, and he will stay there. When he sees me coming towards him he will then get down, so i KNOW he knows what he is doing is not acceptable behavior but he does it anyway. I have tried time out, I have tried taking things away from him, and then it makes him irate and he starts throwing things at me or at the walls, and when i approach him to bring him to time out he curls up in a fetal position on the floor and just lays there, and I am really starting to get stressed out. Or if I do not give him milk the instant he asks for it or turn spongbob on the moment he wants it on throwing and screaming. I feel like our relationship is starting to diminish and I am losing control of the situation. I have a 7 year old daughter and i NEVER experienced behavior like this from her. I have always been a working mother part time. I will add there has been a change in our home. About 3 weeks ago my husband left to work out of town and will be gone through the beginning of December, and I have been wondering if that could be a factor and what I can do to help him process what he is feeling??????

[specialmom]

I like Rockrose's idea.  Honestly, I had two boys that are very close in age.  One does have some sensory issues and the other doesn't, both went through the terrible two's.  What helped for me was wearing them out.  We went to parks, we ran around the house, etc.  We did as much of that as possible.  And we do have a little mini trampoline inside that is great.  They could jump and 'get it out'.  You could put a single mattress on the floor as that works too.  

Time out never worked for my two kids to be honest.  I, instead, would take loved things away.  And spent a lot of time rewarding the positive.  My boys did move out of that stage (thank goodness) and are good boys.  

I would suspect that yes, some of this increased testing of limits has to do with your husband being gone along with the age.  good luck

[MarkLakewood3367]

Your son requires consistent discipline.  He is testing the limits like just about every 2 year old does.  Use a 2-minute timeout per misbehavior.  Timeouts are very effective when used correctly.  Don't worry about him serving the timeout in a corner.  Choose an area of your floor and give it a name.  Whether he curls up or not isn't the point as long as he remains in timeout.  It is vitally important that you apply this discipline while your child is young.  The older he gets, the more difficult it will be to discipline him.

[RockRose]

Can you get him a trampoline or something like that that he can use to bounce around until he's tired?

[concernedmomma1981]

Its really .. no extremely i mean exhausting because I am struggling with him every night and all day so I was wondering if other thought it was because of my husband being gone or if they felt something else was going on! Thanks for the response and input!!!

[RockRose]

I think this will get much better once your husband returns.  It sounds like he is confused and testing you during this time when Daddy is gone.

I think I would try to get him a lot of exercise every day and just grit your teeth and get through it.  I think you're doing everything right,  and this will pass.

Best wishes.