The Trouble with Thomas

For quite a while I have been dreading the holidays coming and having Alice at home again all the time, I was worried she would be bored and we would all suffer.

However in the week that she has had off from Play School, Alice has been a pleasure, sure she's had her moments what toddler doesn't, but on the whole she's been lovely, and its been great to have a bit of extra time with her before nursery kicks in and she's off every morning come September.

My troubles however have certainly not lessened, instead they have be the trouble with Thomas.

The angelic face may deceive you

Thomas is about 18 months old now (I think?!) and when its just the two of us he's pretty easy to handle, he naps, we play, he helps me clean etc nothing too wild. I take him to toddlers groups about once a week.

Since Alice has been off playschool Thomas is now officially a brat. He has become that child that everyone looks at in the park, I have become that mother that everyone starts at on the train. So whats so bad? He screams, he screams about small things, he screams about big things, he screams for the sake of it, and most of all he screams extremely loudly, in a way that only boys seem to be capable off.

I used to see other peoples kids screaming, and I would think, what have you done to them, why cant you take them away or at least why haven't you bought along something they like.

I have tried to take Thomas away from situations that cause the scream, for example our mundane trip to Asda and the fiasco that created. Since then Thomas has learned scream loud enough, leave faster. so thumbs down to that one

What have I done to him? This has now become more of a question of what would I like to do to him, or where would I like to hide. Nothing that I'm aware of?!

And I have taken him along a thousand different things, Iv tried toys, food, drinks, his beloved book.

Whatever we are doing it doesn't fit Thomas.

When we're in the car he wont sleep and screams instill he is knackered, thus when we get somewhere he is shattered from not having slept.

When he's in the buggy he wants to walk and when he's walking he wants to stop and stay in one place for an eternity.

I am at my wits end with the embarrassment of pushing a screaming buggy, or being hit by a tantruming toddler as I try to calm him.

We have had to leave the park earlier than intended because of his behaviour which just seems really unfair to poor Alice who has been no trouble.

I love my kids and already feel their growing up so fast I can barley keep up, but this week has definitely been a week for wishing away the 6 months till Play School will take him too :-(