Is There Anything I Could Do Differently?

Working M.,

I think alot is going on at the same time and it all seem to have a domino effect so that it appears something major is going on, but I really believe it is normal behavior for a 2yr old. The night terrors are normal, but because your sister played the game, it heightened the fears. As for eating only at the daycare, my son only eats at my moms too and is picky with what I prepare. He is whiny, tantrummy, because that is part of his development. You are pregnant and probably can't concentrate so much or able to deal with this stage.

I believe it is growing pains. Simply take him to the doctor for the fevers, etc, spend as much time hugging and consoling him to relieve his fears (stay in his room for a couple nights or have him stay in yours so he gets comfortable again. Take a day off from work to re-energize yourself and take it easy.

It will pass

I agree - you might get him a checkup. Illnesses with fever can do crazy things to dreams and imaginations. It can't hurt to let the doctor take a look at him.

Two-year-olds do interesting things anyway. They're growing more aware of the world around them and trying to make sense of it. They do imitate what they see and hear. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Having shoes on all the time isn't too bad - and I bet he'll drop that soon and find something else.

When my older son was two, he was terrified of the witch (Margaret Rutherford) in the movie version of "The Wizard of Oz." He would grab me and we would hide behind the sofa until she was off screen. He liked the rest of the movie, though - so much that he named his teddy bear Dorothy ("Dorfy"). Now that he has three little girls of his own I keep threatening him to tell them about that. :^)

If you can, you might do more reading time and less TV time. Read books with your son instead and see if it helps the imagination go in a better direction. TV is powerful (that's why adults get addicted).

Sounds like a normal (sick) toddler!

For the molar pain/ no eating... do try tylenol if you're not already. The dentist gives we adults narcotic pain killers when we have teeth coming in... trust me... it HURTS to cut teeth, and mouth pain dominos into over all suckiness of life (as someone who has cut teeth as an adult). Teeth replacing other teeth doesn't hurt, but cutting for the first time? Oy.

You can give tylenol even when there's no reason at all (love that, it's not a med that has ill effect if you take it when you don't need it), to it's my first "test" when toddlers start acting off. 9 times out of 10, 20 minutes later they're their normal charming selves. Yep. Okay, they were in pain. Time to figure out what hurt.

We actually FEEL cold when we have a fever, it's how our body increases our internal temp. Fever & chills is when our fever it spiking and turning off (kind of like an oven) trying to get us hotter and hotter, but not, you know, brain dead. We feel hot when our body is trying to LOWER our temp, and cold when it's trying to RAISE our temp. Tylenol will also nix this homeostatic reaction, because it will keep a fever off.

For the "why" phase... if you want to 'nip' it... answer. Fully and completely. Expect to spend 15-30 minutes on every 'why'... and the 'why' phase will
usually end in about a week to two weeks.

Everything Riley said plus

There Is No Why!

(least that's what I said when the whys kept coming long after the question had been answered!)

:)

Updated

Everything Riley said plus

There Is No Why!

(least that's what I said when the whys kept coming long after the question had been answered!)

:)

If asking him isnt getting any answers, try calling his doctor, get a check up for him.. having a fever and earaches can sometimes make sleeping uncomfortable and even sometimes night terrors.

All of this is completely normal development.

But you also have some outstanding things in the mix so that makes it harder on YOU.

Kids eat when they are hungry. Just keep offering healthy options. This comes and goes.

Teething is painful, it can make his gums feel like little needles are poking through, but then from grinding and chewing his jaw can become really sore. Tylenol can hep with this soreness.

Allergies are terrible right now.. everything is blooming and he has tiny sinuses and his ear tubes are tiny, all of the drooling and teething does not help.

He is beginning to come out of that baby fog and see that there are things going on around him he cannot control. It frightens him. Imaginations can really run away for him and he can now recall dreams. You can talk about how dreams are like stories. My mom used to tell us, if we wake up from a bad dream, roll over to our other side ad the nightmare will not come back.. It works.

There are lots of changes going on in his home and he is not the total attention of the household (how did this happen?) so he is not used to not being served, observed and complimented every moment.

Mom is tired, cannot pick him up, maybe cannot play outside as much as son wants, so maybe dad needs to step up and take son outside EVERY TIME he gets the chance. May Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents?/ Maybe hire a moms helper to take him outside while you rest inside? Son needs to be able to run and play extremely active for long periods of time (1hour to 1 1/2 hours 2 times a day. .. this will continue from now on. Son has a lot of energy in that body and if he cannot get rid of it whining, crying and tantrums, will help get rid of that energy.

Just hang in there. Big life transitions are hard for grown ups, they can be down right scary for sone children.