Does Your 15 Month Old Try to Push You??

i thought we were the only ones! :) we have had to learn the fine art of negotiation and giving multiple warnings. for instance when it's half an hour until bedtime, we tell him he has 30 minutes and we keep telling him at 5 minute intervals and about the 15 minute mark we tell him it's time for jammies but not night-night, so he doesn't freak out. the diaper changes i ask if he's ready and the answer is usually "no", so then i tell him to think about it and every few minutes i ask if he's ready yet. it usually take a couple of askings but then he tells me he is and that's that. around 18 months he transitioned into the 2 year old class at daycare and they change diapers standing up to get them ready for potty training. so, that has helped too. good luck and know that you are not alone.

In order to effectively deal with a child's disruptive behavior, it is crucial to first understand where it is coming from. Here's an article that should help answer your question.
http://www.gilabrown.com/GB/Blog/Entries/2009/7/21_The_Ga...

Be well,
G. B., M.A.
Child Development Specialist

Dr. Harvey Karp DVD. PLEASE every parent shoudl have this. Our kids and toddlers want to be heard and happy and want us to be happy. Just listen and let him have his opinion and I guarantee things will change.

I read all these answers and it make sme little sad for the litte ones.....They DO NOT WANT to push button, THEY WANT us to be happy, just treat them as they matter listen and do not ignore. I really do not mean to preach but i have raised toddler and I swear by DR. Karp
http://www.summerforkids.com/Books/

he's stretching his power and seeing that his actions cause reactions. unfortunately the bad behavior is what is getting a response at this point. what you don't want to do is give him the message that if he throws a big enough fit, he'll get his way. that's when the manipulation will begin. give positive reactions to positive behaviors, downplay but don't accept the bad behavior. yes, it will get worse (and the twos have nothing on the threes, sorry to tell you) but if you maintain control and mutual love and respect now, it will go a long way to making toddlerhood tolerable. good luck!

Hi A., My response is going to be some what different than the others, my husband and I raised 3 kids 2 sons and one daughter, and we had a no tatrum policy in our home, before moms want to blast me for this let me explain, when I was pregnant I noticed everything about peoples children, I took so many mental notes, but out of everything i witnessed the thing that got to me the most was watching kids kick, scream, throw things, hit, even bite their parents when mad, I told my husband we were not going to tolerate this type of behavior, I talked to my mom, she had 5 did not tollerate tatrums, I talked to my husbands mom who was a single mother of 4 boys, and she told me the same thing, she told me she said child I would grab a switch quicker than you can blink your eye and my boys knew it, (their now in there 50') i would have never used a switch, but my point is back in the day children were children and adults were in charge and we knew it. Tatrums are a fit of anger toddler size and if you don't it in the bud now it will get worse. I have a toodler in my daycare who will be one next month, well at 9 months old she was sent to stay with grandparents for 2 months, when I got her back she was throwing tatrums, What i would do was place her in her playpen, and when she calmed down I took her out, each time I did the same thing, she's has only had 2 tatrums sense i starting doing that, for me she almost taught that i will not tollerate tatrums, she actually bites, her parents they do nothing, she bit me today. Nip it in the bud, J.

Both my daughters started throwing tantrums like that at about 15 months old or so. The baby is now 18 months and pushes me when I try to change her diaper o get her dressed, she also throws herself on the floor, and has even started biting herself in the arm when she gets really mad (yes, biting herself!). I can assure you, it all goes away (at least it did with my first!) :)

Yes this is about the age mine started throwing fits like this , yes they generally get worse when they turn 2...and as a mother of a son and 2 daughters I have to say that I find girls much more difficult!!

My son does it too, they've figured out that there are options in life and they don't like the option that has been chosen for them. Oh well. Diaper changes take WAY longer than they have to because two thirds of the time is spent calmly repeating, "Nope, you have to hold still so I can change your pants before we can do anything else." This morning he would rather have played with leaves in the yard than get in the car to go to daycare. And he loves daycare, just didn't want to get in the car to go there. I spend A LOT of time saying, "I'm sorry you don't want to ______ but we have to because _______."
I don't have any advice for stopping the behavior, because you really can't, but I just continue on with whatever it is I'm trying to get done and keep in mind that he's just asserting himself and this is part of him becoming his own human being. I don't let him win, but I'm not mean about it nor do I punish him. So far it works. He'll throw a bit of a fit but is usually over it quickly.

Terrible twos started for us at 18 months with our twins and 15 mos with my singleton. I attribute his early defiance to the fact that he was quite advanced. It has only gotten better in some ways recently--the diaper changes for example. And he is 2 1/2. In other ways he does the same thing--makes us put up a huge fight with him before he caves. I posted about it recently and most said it is typical behavior and that he is asserting his independence etc. I guess what I took from it all was that I have to learn to compromise more on the little things. I know changing his diaper sometimes cant wait, but maybe handing him the diaper and telling him to bring it to you when he is ready would work. Good luck, this too shall pass...eventually! ;)