My son just turned 2 & still gets into everything.

Brittany - posted on 02/15/2013

My two year gets into everything. So I know your pain.

Lynell - posted on 02/12/2013

My son is 2.5. He wants to do everything mommy does. He sits in my swivel desk chair, he climbs in my tall dinner table chair (instead of his highchair), he pulls out all my makeup stuff, he drags things all over the house, he grabs stuff off my desk all the time, he gets things off the kitchen counter all the time (knives are kept next to the splashback b/c he can't reach that far....), he gets things that have things on top of them and it all crashes to the floor, he still puts crap in his mouth that he can swallow (constantly), and he throws things all the time even after getting in trouble. Time outs do work for the point of "hey, buddy, you're in trouble", but they don't correct anything. We usually end up with a pile of things on the counter where he can't reach them b/c we take them away when he misuses things. He can't be out of sight for 5 seconds. I feel your pain. We are really starting to get stern with him and let him know how this makes us feel. Our biggest issue is that he does NOT listen well. That is our focus. He's great at daycare, but he just disobeys and doesn't listen at home. Prayer, patience, and lots of do-overs are needed.

Gigi - posted on 02/03/2013

You shouldn't move these things. They are pat of your house and you should teach your daughter to respect them. Every time she goes to them you should tell her that these are not toys and that she can not touch them.
How old is your daughter?

Amber - posted on 01/31/2013

First of all, all the people who say keep everything out of reach must not own anything at all. Our MAJOR issues are the stereo system, the tv, and the desktop computer. I can't keep my daughter away from them for anything. Where exactly should I put those things?

MamaTo2 - posted on 09/21/2011

I know exactly how you feel!!! My 23 month old is the same. And the advice from many of "keep everything valuable or dangerous out of reach" is not at all helpful. We DO keep as much as possible out of reach, but 1)there aren't enough shelves, drawers, and closets in the whole damn house for that, and 2)HE CLIMBS! With amazing ability, I might add. He moves small furniture and toys to get onto bigger furniture. I leave the room for thirty seconds to get laundry or use the bathroom and come back to find him standing on the counter, without the aid of any chair or stool! He climbs closed, child-locked drawers! As some others have said, I just keep trying to encourage myself that it's normal, he's exploring, and try to be ultra consistent in stopping the behavior and redirecting him. And I have found that the less fuss you make over it, the better. Deal with it as soon as you see it, quickly and quietly, and move on. If he gets a reaction, even negative, that's reinforcement for a two year old. I have a psych degree and also continue to educate myself on different parenting theories and methods, and everything I've ever learned says formal discipline and punishment are irrelevant and ineffective until after they turn two. (Before two, their "discipline" is your lifestyle, routine, vocal tone and physical response to their actions.) I don't know when your son turned two but remember, each child develops and matures cognitively at a different rate and the STARTING point is two. So it's just a matter of time and how consistent you are in your methods before he "gets" it. If you use a time out, use it EVERY time. When you tell him to stop doing something, physically intervene EVERY time. A ten year old understands that when you say stop he should stop. But a two year old is still testing to see if "stop" means the same thing every time, so SHOW him EVERY time. It make take months or a year, but the only way he'll ever figure out you mean what you say is if you physically show him. "Get down" = you take him down, "Stop/No" = you stop him, "We don't throw food" = lunch is over, etc. My fiancé contests that this will teach him that he doesn't have to mind because you will always do it for him, but that's not true. You are creating a pattern of action that matches your commands and eventually the child will take over that action. Just keep reminding yourself that it takes time for him to understand that pattern.

Kathy - posted on 09/21/2011

your kid is still just that - a kid. leave stuff out, he WILL want to explore; that's the nature of toddlers. they learn through exploring so let him explore but safely.

keep the door shut from rooms he's not allowed to go into. keep valuables out of reach; child-proof your home. you can't blame him for ruining a laptop that you left out on a table that is within climbing reach; you should have put that out of reach if you know he gets into everything.

continue to show him what is off limits but also make sure you protect valuable things.

Brenda - posted on 09/19/2011

My kids 3 & 4 are terrible about getting into everything, I purposely leave the cartoon channel on, BUT if they want to watch a show, they have to pick up ALL of their toys first, during this time the T.V. gets shut off.. once they have them all picked up, I turn it back on and voila, their show is there, if they throw food or drinks on the floor, I make THEM clean it up with papertowels, that usually works for a while because they don't want to clean it up...lol, they know there are concequences to their actions, like for instance if they push, hit shove, they get a time out, and we tell them "That is NOT okay", then they have to apologize to each other, if they get into things that are important or dangerous, they get a swat on the butt, time out, and a stern talking to, and again "That is NOT okay".. it takes time and repetition, TRY to be patient, it's hard some days and I would LOVE nothing more than to crack a bottle of wine, but I can't do that, so sometimes I have to take a Time out, and I tell them that, even if I just go sit on a chair in front of them, I say you are being so naughty that mommy needs a time out so I don't get so angry... for the most part it works... keep trying :)

Lori - posted on 05/21/2011

My twin boys act wild all day. Take him to a bounce house or play area at the YMCA for some hours. Just think of a million activities. Most kids are just constantly moving :)

Cheryl - posted on 05/21/2011

I know it sounds crazy hard, but try your best to not give negative attention. That means no yelling, or retelling the story of how bad he was to others (at least in front of him). Try to give lots of extra attention when he's being good, even sitting for a min. watching TV, telling him how nice and quite he can be, so still. Then maybe finding a few things he can help you clean. Helping unload the dishwasher, unpacking the groceries. For every 10-5 min for helping out, give him a treat, maybe a sip of juice for every toy put in his toy chest, a cheerio or raisen for every object he picks up off the floor. My daughter knows that the quiter I am the madder I am. Pouring coke on your comp- take the coke away, pick him up and put him out of the room, then clean the mess, if he keeps coming back just keep setting him out of the room, no talking, no eye contact. Throwing food, take all the food away, you can try to eat together again in half an hour, if you're in a resturant, pick him up and leave the resturant. You will miss out on things you might want to do, like eat when your hungry, getting all the groceries at tthe store, but it'll be worth it in the end. My daughter will get frusterated while playing with some of her toys, like the ones that have many parts and she has to assemble, that are hard to do. I try not to intervene, unless she gets super crazy, like hitting the nice TV or the cats with the toy. But shortly later when it's TV time, snack or time to go outside then we then put them away, and I'll help to explain her feelings, Did you get mad, was it hard . . . . The hardest thing to accomplish is to train yourself to not give him ANY negative attention. The better you are in doing this, the faster he'll stop being bad. I promise you will all be so much happier in the end, Who cares if you're kinda bribing him to be good with treats, or ditching your perfect plans when he's acting out, or seeming to ingore his bad behavior, or don't have a clean house for a year or two, if you raise a happy well mannered little boy who dosen't want to be bad, but wants to please you by being good it'll all be worth it. Good Luck!!!

Patricia - posted on 05/18/2011

i do you would no believe the lengths he goes to to get into things amazing what they do but i am keeping on top of it

Jessica - posted on 05/16/2011

My daughter will be turning 3 on the 17...In only 11 hours! She is the same way....We can put up all the gates in the world and she figures out how to get threw them! I don't know if you have ever heard of it but we have started changing her Diet. Gluten/Casein free Also eliminate msg, and food colorings. Try giving him Almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk etc instead of cow's milk. Use those milks how you normally would use cow's. And the msg and food colorings you just have to do alot of label reading. MSG can be hidden using other terms so if in doubt, buy all natural or organic! I have a friend that is a doctor and she swears up and down alot of the kids act the way they do becaues of their diet...think about it doesn't you body and yourself feel better if your on a diet? I have started to slowly switch everything in my house as to not kick everyone in the face with everything at once. and spending more time doing crafts and stuff and things are starting to turn slowly...So from what I see diet helps....its worth a try it could work for you to!

Kimberly - posted on 05/16/2011

When my daughter was 2, she would start throwing her food on the floor when she was done eating. So if your son starts throwing his food, get him down from his chair. As far as electronics, keep them out of his reach because they will break them, step on them, spill things on them, but you already know that! My daughter is 3 and time-outs are effective on her now but they were not at 2. Like everyone else said, if he is doing something you don't want him to do, tell him he isn't allowed to do that and re-direct him to something else.

Jane - posted on 05/16/2011

My son is 16 and still gets into everything.

As a result, I lock up anything I really care about. He is emotionally about 9 now and just can't control his impulsiveness well enough, even with meds.

He has to pay to replace anything he breaks or "loses" (gives away to friends) however.

Jennifer - posted on 05/16/2011

My daughter will be 4 in October and still gets into everything. She has cut pictures, taken most of my laptop keys off of the keyboard, messed up everything, broken her cd player, stuck a psp game into my brother's ps3. she doesnt cry a lot unless she is actually hurt, but is very destructive and thinks its all a game, no form of discipline work, unless its from a teacher or other authority figure it will work for a short time.
thanks
Jennifer

Katherine - posted on 05/16/2011

So you've heard great things about the magic of time-outs — removing your misbehaving child from the action for a little quiet time. The problem is, time-outs seem to have no effect on your child. Should you abandon this discipline method, or stick with it? Stick with it, but do a little time-out troubleshooting first.
What to do if:

Your 2-year-old ignores you. Say your child looks at you blankly or runs the other way when you call "time-out." That means she probably isn't developmentally ready for this tactic, and you'll likely find other behavior management strategies more effective — and less exhausting. Keep in mind that 2-year-olds are busy exploring and experimenting, and that what may seem like a tendency to get into trouble is actually normal inquisitiveness. The best way to deal with this is to childproof your home and to keep a close eye on your child so she doesn't have many opportunities to get into things she shouldn't. Because 2-year-olds are long on curiosity and short on attention, at this age it's fairly easy to distract your child from mischief and redirect her to more suitable activities. If she's fascinated by the cat's tail (and the screech he makes when she yanks it), engage her interest in a toy instead. If she insists on drawing all over your just-scrubbed kitchen table, substitute a paintbrush and a cup of water for her crayons.

Your child won't stay put. Most 2-year-olds find it hard to sit still for more than a few seconds, let alone several minutes. So for now, don't worry about the standard minute-per-year rule for time-outs. For a 2-year-old, even a few seconds of quiet time will help her regroup. As soon as she's calmed down and switched gears, the time-out has served its purpose.

If the problem is getting your child to her time-out place, consider the possibility that she isn't ready for a solo time-out in a far-off spot. It doesn't hurt to set up a special "quiet time" place, of course, but it shouldn't be too far removed from the hub of family activity. Understand, too, that you may need to stay there with her. Lead your child to the designated spot, and gently guide her into her seat. If she runs away, avoid an elaborate chase, and don't get exasperated. Coolly steer her back to the time-out spot. If she continues to resist, simply sit her down wherever you catch her. Sit next to her or — if she'll let you — hold her on your lap for a few seconds. Don't show your anger or launch into a lecture; a neutral, matter-of-fact attitude works best.

Your child just gets into more trouble during a time-out. The idea of a time-out is to remove your child from whatever's getting her worked up — not to remove your attention from her. Though it's a popular time-out spot, a child's bedroom may not be the best place to encourage "quiet time." First, it's likely to be out of your sight (and possibly earshot as well). Second, since your child may still be learning to sleep well on her own, her bedroom should be a sanctuary rather than a site for discipline. Instead, choose a nearby chair, a corner, or another safe spot that's away from a lot of distractions — then stay there with her if need be.

Time-outs only make your child's tantrums worse. Difficult as they may be, tantrums — those screaming, kicking fits that overcome almost every child now and then — are utterly normal at this age. They tend to burst forth when your 2-year-old gets especially frustrated, angry, or disappointed (usually because you won't let her have or do something), and she lacks both the verbal skills to express her feelings and the emotional skills to cope with them.

A tantruming child has lost control, and only she can regain it — a period of parent-imposed calm won't necessarily help. As you've discovered, forcing your child to sit still just makes her madder. Rather than give a time-out during a temper tantrum, it's usually wiser to simply let the tantrum burn itself out. Hard as it is, do your best not to get swept up in your child's hysteria.

It seems as though your child spends half the day in time-outs. Your 2-year-old is constantly exploring — the world is one big experiment to her. She wants to discover what things are, how they work, and what she can (and can't) do. Along the way, of course, she does plenty of things that you'd rather she didn't, from pulling books off shelves to using toothpaste to fingerpaint the bathroom walls. You can't rely on time-outs to correct every annoying act, though; not only will your child find it hard to connect her actions with all that quiet time, but you also risk stifling her natural curiosity.

Save time-outs for instances when your child needs to get her emotions under control or is being willfully disobedient, and ignore irritating but harmless acts, such as dumping out the contents of a box or pulling the petals off your meticulous flower arrangement. These explorations just prove that she's a normal, inquisitive child. Take a deep breath, steer her away from trouble spots, and substitute a less destructive activity. Above all, provide plenty of "time-in" — including encouragement, hugs, and kisses — whether or not she's doing something you like.

Jessica - posted on 05/16/2011

OK first off Amanda, I don't mean to offend you and I'm not talking down to you as tone can be lost in text, I just want to let you know that. For starters a 2 year old should not be having pop as the sugars and caffeine are likely at least part of if not most of the root of your problems with him, not to mention dental and developmental delays and other things that you can expect from drinking pop too young. Health reasons aside limit pop to MAYBE once a week maximum or less and stick to watered down juice and some of your sanity may return as his hyperactivity diminishes.

Again I'm sorry but why in the world would you be giving your 2 year old a full can of pop or a full open container period by himself? Especially out and about the house?! Sippy cups are our friends, and if you want him to work on drinking from a can, cup straw or otherwise at this age, then you can do it at the dining table or at restaurants where you can closely supervise his use and help him out.

Now, the thing about boundaries is that they need to be set and CONSISTENTLY enforced and controlled in order to be respected. At the same time he needs outlets to get out the behaviors he likes to show. My little guy is a monkey too and when he was 2 he had the ability to climb on top of dog kennels stacked on top of each other (little dog could jump up and get away from big dogs), get on top of desks and counter-tops, you name it and he could climb it! Now the reason he doesn't get everywhere and ruin nice things is because he has boundaries that he knows and plenty of chances to climb either in the backyard, at parks, hiking or going to the rock wall near us and actually rock climbing (Yes, at 2!).

Next, if you spank too much or use any discipline as a blanket punishment kids will become numb to it, or if they don't understand why that discipline/punishment was given then they don't know not to do it again. I use natural consequences as much as possible (i.e. if we're in the store and he wanders or runs away or can't listen, say grabbing everything then he goes in the cart. If he's playing too rough with a toy or hitting, breaking hurting then that toy is taken away). I also make sure to explain in toddler friendly terms why they are being disciplined (ex. "No! That hurt Mommy! Don't hit!" in a stern but not overly angry voice, take away say the drumstick that he hit with "No more stick, you hit, not nice!" Usually followed by me taking his hand and rubbing what he hit and saying Owie or something, followed by "Say sorry" and "Give Mommy hugs" so he learns to comfort).

Messes in general are part of having a toddler, and if they might ruin something or if it's dangerous, it's best to keep them away from it. This is where boundaries come into play. As far as at the dinner table, I actually put one of those plastic mats that are used in an office for your chair to roll easily and that has saved my dining room carpet some nasty stains! Also easy to clean place mats and containment bibs that have a lip at the bottom to catch messes. Also controlling what they eat and when so you can control messes, such as if mine wants cereal for breakfast and I want to catch up on e-mail while he eats (office is connected to and in direct line of sight of the dining table about 15 feet away), I'll give him cereal with yogurt in it instead of milk. It makes it easier for him to eat (and practice his coordination with eating) as he doesn't have to fish around as much, he can't spill it as easy (suction cup bowls are also helpful if throwing/spilling is a problem), it's more filling than plain cereal and a healthier way to sweeten it than adding sugar (Cheerios and strawberry yogurt? Yes please!). As he got older I gradually added milk to make it thinner so he could get used to the fluidity and sometimes he still prefers the yogurt cereal straight yogurt!

All in all there are several fronts to get this fight into a more managable situation. Start with what you feed him, then how you feed him, then other behavioral modifying and you should be off to a good start to a healthier, better behaved little monkey-monster ;op Hope this helped!

Janette - posted on 05/16/2011

My son is 3 and gets into mischeif everyday, if he didn't, I'd be worried there was something wrong with him. I'd suggest putting things up out of reach that you don't want him getting ahold of, other than that, it's all part of his exploring and learning, it's normal!

Julie - posted on 05/12/2011

Do you work?

A child is a 24/7 project and if he is not reasurred of your love/time/attention he will endure naughtiness and spankings,e etc., to get ANY kind of attention from you.
Keep him busy with fun projects - LEGOS are great as are tinker toys, Lincoln Logs, etc.
Be sure to fill his 'daily love-cup' needs with positive time and reading and playing games and his behavior will change - it worked for me!

Patricia - posted on 05/12/2011

yes my son is like this he is what i call a full on child these kids need alot of stimulation and usually like to help and work better with alot of praise it is alot of extra work and he will still get into things but my son is slowly getting better i hope this helps

Katie - posted on 05/11/2011

Don't leave stuff out he can destroy. Try listening to and respecting his needs and he will learn to listen to and respect yours. Spanking and time-outs aren't working because they make a child fearful that you don't love them and what could be worse than that. Try finding natural consequences for his actions. When my son makes a mess out of something, I ask him to clean it up. If he doesn't start right away or asks me to do it I tell him I will help him once he starts. If he gets distracted by other toys I explain that the toys are distracting him so I will have to take them away if he plays with them. Once he's done he can get the toys back.. This works much better then harsh punishments because a child feels included and not acted upon. Work with your child rather then doing things to him. Most of the time it works but it takes time to build up that trust. Plus he's 2, kids are exploring their world they don't understand all of our rules and that takes time and respect. Try to teach the rules rather than punishing for breaking them.

Elyse - posted on 05/11/2011

I'm in the same boat my 2yr old does it too. He destroyed my laptop and I wasn't able to complete some of my college homework cause of it. He spanked too and it didn't help. He also broke my front window. He took to finding this funny. So we would "break" his toys for destroying ours. He is still destructive just not as bad. Also slap hands if needed seemed to work for us. O and when he tells you no use soap that's what we've done plus he's swearing

Melissa - posted on 05/10/2011

My 2 year old has same problems with food and he loves to throw toys down stairs giant piles of toys i got thru it by ignoring him if i didnt look at him or give any acknowledgement eventually he stopped it does take time and if you glance at them i found it hard not to laugh cause he was looking at me with that devil grin just waiting for me to say no but even the no's are the attention they want when they dont get it they will stop. I know as a busy mom i had a hard time watching him 24/7 with dishes/laundry ect to get done too so i eventually got him a stool and have him "help" while it makes it take longer they enjoy it a ton and they get the mommy time they crave :)

Jane - posted on 05/10/2011

As others have said, he is being a two-year-old. He is going to continue to be very busy because that is the stage his brain development is in. By the time he is three things should be better, and by four you can talk to him and get answers.

What it means, though, is that you need to baby-proof your life

Helen - posted on 05/10/2011

I also have a perpetual motion machine who is into everything.

I have found that getting cross and upset with him doesn't work - he's not being destructive on purpose, just being inquisitive, which is actually what I want!
I try to stay calm, ask him to leave things alone please, distract him with something else, and put things where he can't reach them (this is getting harder as he grows!). It mostly works, but not always.

All in all I think it sounds like your son is being a normal 2 year old, a phase that won't last forever, and one that can be helped by keeping him busy - playing with him, playing with friends, going to the park . . . . blah blah blah all the usual stuff! and with you chilling out, knowing he's not being destructive on purpose (ie the laptop - pouring a drink is a reasonable thing for him to be trying to do, just not such a great place to do it!) and giving him lots of praise and encouragement when he does the things you want him to.

Jennifer - posted on 05/10/2011

Why, yes, Terri, I DO spank other adults when I get mad at them, how did you KNOW?! LOL. You know, when I was a kid, my parents spanked me and better yet, it was usually with a spatula! I don't spank either of my children with a spatula, but I do spank them if their behavior calls for it. When I say spank, I do mean spank, and NOT BEAT. There's a huge difference. And I never tried to hit either one of my parents. And my 20 month old is off the charts when it comes to her height and if there's a WAY to climb ANYthing, SHE will find it! And she's bright, from an earlier age, probably shortly after she started walking well, she would drag things to places to reach up higher!
We all have the right to be frustrated with the messes that they make. Not liking it has nothing to do with maturity. The messes do have a lot to do with individual children. We love our children, but we don't have to love their messes. My first born was no where near as messy (except at meal time, but all children have to learn to eat without making a mess and my first born didn't dump her bowl out). The first one was stubborn, but the second one is having a competition with her in that department! I tend to be a rebel JK--I do not put everything up high. If I am going to be out of the room and my laptop and phone is in there, then I take my phone and put it on a shelf in the hall that the younger one cannot reach (so I can hear it) and close my door to the room, but, if not and she comes along and tries to touch my laptop I tell her, "No, you do not touch mommy's computer," and if she tries to reach for it again, I redirect her hand before it gets to my computer. If she keeps going at it, I remove her or the laptop (depending on where the two are lol). 2 or not, they can learn these things. Often times she'll eventually give up, granted after many tries lol. By the age of 3 my older daughter left my bedside table, which I typically had my wallet, cell phone, and keys on, completely alone. She also didn't touch my purse, which I used to keep by the side of my bed in front of the bedside table. I expect this one to learn not to touch these things, either. I now keep my purse up higher most of the time but when I forget and leave it lying around and she happens upon it I do tell her no and if she keeps trying to go at it (which she will because she's trying to be more stubborn than her sister ever was and her sister was very stubborn!) I will tap her hand and tell her, "I said, 'NO,'" and put it up higher. And believe me, I doubt any of these ladies (like myself) clean as much as we used to or have our homes looking as nicely as they once did. Before the second came along my home was decent! Now, with the second addition, it's a losing battle. At night is the only time I am able to try to keep up with it and unfortunately, it's also the main "me time." I hardly think nap time qualifies for "me time" as you never know when the child is going to get up and sometimes you're trying to get other things done.
OH, and I stopped using gates at all the day I discovered my near 20 month old (although when I discovered this was months ago) COULD CLIMB OVER THEM! And this was without anything to climb on top to get over....to this day I still don't know how she did it, but I once caught her in the act and I told her to get back over that gate and she went back down the way she had started to come, so I never got to see how she managed to get all the way over. But from that day on, the gates were pointless! My older daughter by this age knew to stay out of the kitchen. My younger daughter? Oh, yeah, I can tell her, "Don't touch, that's an oven. It's HOT." Know what she'll do? She'll TOUCH it (thankfully I never let her get that close when it is really on) and say, "Hot!" Tonight she tried to go by it and I quickly ushered her away telling her, "Don't go by the oven, it's HOT." And, even if my daughter could NOT climb over gates at her young age, my kitchen is on one side of the livingroom and unless they make a....oh, I don't know, 16 foot gate maybe?....it's impossible to put a gate between the two. LOL 2 year olds are very bright and often are capable of understanding and doing (or not doing) a lot more than many give them credit for. Call me crazy, but I think it just might be possible to teach them a thing or two about what they can and cannot touch or do.

Terri Lynn - posted on 05/09/2011

Hitting children and being violent towards them is child abuse and teaches them to respond to problems violently. When he is older and bigger than you, would you like for him to hit you if you anger or frustrate him? Do you also spank the butts of other adults when they anger or frustrate you? If not, why not? Your son is a 2 year old child. You are an adult. It is up to you to keep things out of his way at this point in his life. Essentially, you need to limit your son to areas- shut door or set up child gates- where he can safely play. Children are messy. Children explore and are curious. This is not a problem. It is important to understand this and be mature enough to handle it before having kids. Your son is here now and you have to simply move things you don't want him into and limit his access by keeping doors shut or setting up the gates. As for throwing food, have designated times and a designated location for eating. He should not be drinking soda in the first place but certainly it should not be lying around where he can get it. Life changes when you have kids and you have to adapt to it. He did not ask to be born and deserves better as a small 2 year old perfectly normal kid than to be hit and hurt by the person he should be able to run to for protection and comfort. He will grow up. It will get better. Right now, clean less and love on your precious child more. Check out some activities books to do with toddlers from the library and get active with him. Shut off or gate off the areas he must stay out of. It will get better. I promise.

Christmas - posted on 05/09/2011

my now 2 yr old will be 3 in july, so yea it has gone on for awhile... I have tried the redirecting thing, some of it works but I still cant keep her from going in the fridge. I have gotten her to stop throwing whole roles of toilet paper into the toilet... Her other favorite thing was to pour out my shampoo & conditioner. With that I put those things up higher.... Now its the fridge thing that i cant stop her with.

Janessa - posted on 05/09/2011

I'm not sure if this will work for you, every kid is different, but what has worked for my almost 2 year old and my other children is explaining to them why. In simple words they understand of course. For example if he's trying to climb up to the stove I say no it's hot. He knows what hot is and will back up, if he tries to play in the garbage I say ooh yucky, don't play with that, and he'll usually say yucky back and leave it alone. For things I don't want him to play with because they could get broken or are someone else's I'll tell them whose they are and tell him to go give it to them and he almost always does. He still can get into things especially when my back is turned, but I have found this helps to stop it. Just remember also they are not trying to be bad, they are just curious about everything, so redirecting rather than punishing can do wonders. Anyways, hope this helps.

Carmina - posted on 05/08/2011

i have the same issue! although my son is only 19 months, its sooooo ANNOYING!!! and i can see it going on for a long time too!

Christmas - posted on 05/08/2011

i have a similar problem with my 2yr old daughter. She gets into the fridge & takes out whatever food she wants to paint with, eggs seem to be her favorite.... She also loves to cover the dog with the food.

Tina - posted on 05/08/2011

perfectly normal the best thing you can do is distact or keep things out of sight out of mind.

Monica - posted on 05/08/2011

I don't give him pop, he just has so much energy!! Running around the house or playing outside definitely helps his energy. Luckily he has not spilled anything near my laptop, I usually keep it up. Time outs do help. he hates to sit by himself cause he can't get into anything!! But he will not sit by himself all the time, so I usually have to hold him down and we set the timer for two minutes, I think he cries the whole time but then he's good for about an hour! LOL! Everyone tells me he's a normal boy, but I sometimes call him the energizer bunny, that keeps going!! He just loves attention!! I think it's a phaze and he will grow out of it maybe. My nephews (twins) were like this at two and three and now they are four and are a lot calmer, but I still think they get into stuff!!

Heather - posted on 05/08/2011

Do you let him drink pop? He probably gets on your computer desk to get your attention and to get you to play with him. It sounds like he needs some time at the park everyday, play dates, and other things that will keep him busy! Yes, kids make messes everyday. I NEVER keep anything liquid near my laptop, ever. But I also have my desk where I normally keep my laptop blocked off so that they can't reach it.

Overall, he sounds like a normal 2 year old to me. It might be time to start putting him in time outs in his crib or a pack and play, when he gets into trouble...(2 minutes at a time of course). Watch Super Nanny for time out rules.

Monica - posted on 05/08/2011

This sounds exactly like my son!! My daughter, who is 10 now, never did anything. She would sit and play with her dolls and sit on my lap, still as can be. Then came my son. even before he could walk, into everything!! He will be three at the end of the month. It's even worse because he is so tall for his age. If he can't reach it, he will get a chair and climb on the table, counters and everything. He thinks he is so independent!! I have tried everything as well, but he has such a strong will!! Everything thinks he is so cute, but I just tell them it's because they don't have to take him home LOL! I just try and take his strengths and use them to my advantage. I find that when I am not watching him for a second, there is water everywhere, he spills something, or breaks something!! When there is another kid around his age at my house, he will play with them and not break stuff. Also having him help me with things, he loves that because then he thinks he's big. Although, he wants to do somethings he is too little for. I am just praying he grows out of it!!!

Claire - posted on 05/06/2011

i so know how you feel ! My almost 3yr old daughter is the same, she gets into everything, i cant leave anything around otherwise she trashes it, im starting to think im just not aloud anything nice !! and the only thing ive found to stop it is putting everything under lock and key, as ive tryed everything in the book to try and get her to stop touching what is not hers, but everything fails badly. so fingers crossed she grows out of it :)

Elise - posted on 05/05/2011

I once heard that you should give you 2yo a stick of chalk to draw on the walls and where ever the chalk stops you should put everything up higher than that. LOL. I don't know if your place is big enough but do you have rooms or cupboard space to lock things in. That was the only thing I found that helped me when my daughter was younger. I just put up baby gates, kept bathrooms locked and made a point of putting things like phones and computers away out of reach.

Jamielyn - posted on 05/05/2011

lol YES my son is the exact same way! Everyone keeps saying he'll grow out of it but no. Last week he stuffed our toilet full of toilet paper and flooded our and and smeared tooth paste EVERYWHERE. Ugh terrible twos.. lol! Sorry no help!

xoxo-
Jamielyn
I ♥ Nap Time

Jenn - posted on 05/05/2011

as for victoria.....i dunno about the sippy cup thing... both my kids were off sippy cups and drinking from a normal cup at 1 1/2. I would say if there throwing the sippy cup around like that id stop giving them one. start a "big" boy or girl cup explain that they have to stay at the table with it. you will have about 3-6 months of good spillage but now its great. they know where there cups go on the counter in the kitchen when done. they only drink at the table. and if they couldnt finish it they stick them on the bottom shelf in our fridge. they like having that little bit of responsibility.

Jenn - posted on 05/05/2011

maybe look at goodwill for an old computer for him to play with and sit it on a desk next to your desk?

Jenn - posted on 05/05/2011

my daughter is this way. my son complete opposite. lol my daughter father started using the old put your nose to the wall deal. after about 5 min of making her do this she hated it at first she thought it was funny but then she realized it wasnt funny. so now every time she does something naughty we tell her to stick her nose to the wall then after a 5-10 min wall session....he gets on his knees (or me) right at her level holds her chin in his hand and sternly explains to her what she did wrong. I tell ya what her naughty level has dropped from a 10++ to about a 3 lol

Angela - posted on 05/05/2011

I have a two year old and I don't keep anything anywhere near my son. Cell phones, laptops etc...close your laptop screen when you go to another room...soon as my son starting walking I moved all valuables up high!

LaWanda - posted on 05/05/2011

It's hard but discipline goes a long way. You have to be strong and even if he cries stand strong. Once he sees mommy is not playing he will calm down.

Cherish - posted on 05/05/2011

Terrible twos with my son was also terrible threes and going on terrible fours. He gets into the refrigerator, my desk, my purse, the pantry, writes on walls and toys, tears up books, anything you can think of pretty much. Even when markers and books get put up he still finds stuff. The refrigerator locks don't work, he still gets into the fridge, I wish I had advice but I don't!! LOL!

Julia - posted on 05/05/2011

I had the same proplem with my son we satarted 2min time outs. It worked very well for us.

Victoria - posted on 05/05/2011

I find it funny that you think his behavoir is abnormal! That is what 2 year olds do. If things like a laptop are getting destroyed, I blame you more than the kid - you should have everything that is breakable or expensive put out of his reach. All you have to do is be consistent, and understand that this totally comes with the territory. And as for cleaning - ha! I don't bother doing a stellar job anymore - things will just get dirty so quickly. My almost 2 year old won't stop throwing his sippy cup full of milk. I want to strangle him, but he is just testing the boundaries! Good luck.

Deepti - posted on 05/04/2011

diverting his mind may help... talk to him or tell story which may hold his attention, when he is upto something. also visit for ideas:http://perspectiveofdeepti.blogspot.com/...

Amanda - posted on 05/04/2011

My son does help me put his toys away but sometimes it's pointless cause he'll just drag them right back out...His favorite thing to do is he loves to throw his diaper away...Everytime I change him he goes throw away it's cute so he does help some majority of the time he's destructive...With my lap top i was in the kitchen & I come in the front room he was trying to pour pop into a cup but it was on top of my lap top...He loves computers i guess it's my fault when he was a baby i would let him hit the keys

Georgia - posted on 05/03/2011

Elizabeth is right! I have a 2 yr old who does the same things. They are exploring, discovering, testing... always testing! It's what they do and that's why it's classified as the "terrible twos". What "they" don't tell you is that it goes into the "even worse threes" many times, as my eldest taught me. And then, at 4 or 5, they get a lovely testosterone boost... which means hormonal, uncontrollable screaming, back talking, aggression (like pushing little brothers), angry meltdowns, whining... oh, it's F.U.N.!



The best thing you can do is to keep things you don't want ruined out of the way (like the laptop). I know, easier said than done many times. Spilling soda was more than likely an accident, because they are only 2 after all. Crap, I still spill things and I'm 41! I have any cupboard he's not allowed into babyproofed with locks, but he does have one cupboard in the kitchen that has all my Tupperware stuff that he can get into. If you give him a cupboard like this, it's easier to distract him and teach him that he has HIS cupboard and not to play with the others. I have had to put my computer in our spare room, so that I can close the door and he can't mess with it. He sees me and my 4 yr old on it and wants to play like us on it, so to avoid that the door is shut when he can't be supervised.



And Amanda, you have an ace up your sleeve you know. If your son is easily distracted, USE IT! I have boys that are stubborn as mules (or their mother, depending on how you want to look at it :-)), so the whole distraction thing never worked. They are a bit too young still to comprehend all the rules of the house, AND when you react to something (be it positive or negative) it will prompt him to do whatever it was again... simply because he got a reaction!



I think once you have kids your house is destined to be messy until... well maybe until they move out from what I've seen with friends. Ugh, I hate that idea. Get your son playing games with you... like, let's unload the dishwasher, or time to tidy up (at the end of the day), or we hang the laundry on the line.... I've got my boys to help put their toys away from the moment they could take them out (so very young) and as soon as they were getting into something I was doing, I taught them to help (with the assistance of a silly song). He could be helping you and most likely would love to do it because it would be doing something with mum. My 2 yr old can unload the dishwasher (sharp objects not included), help put his clothes away, sets the table, helps clear the table, vacuums (granted it's like one area over and over), puts his toys away before bath time, puts bath toys away after a bath, runs the washing machine and helps me hang laundry... and he loves helping (my eldest was exactly the same at this age). And you know how they can start acting up in the check out line at the grocery store? Well, my 2 yr old is too busy putting stuff on the conveyor belt to act up, because he's helping mum. All I have to do is ask, "Can you help mum do.....?" and he lights up and is on the job. If you instill this attitude in him now, it will probably help you later on down the track too. My 4 yr old, despite his testosterone hysterics, is a lovely boy and very helpful. He's the first to say he's mummy's "#1 helper" and any time I ask him to do something (even if it has nothing to do with him) he's more than happy to do it.



We are supposed to help each other in a family, so when they are old enough to be a semi-active member of the family (like at age 2) then they are old enough to start helping.

Elizabeth - posted on 05/03/2011

just hang in there..this too shall pass

In 3 months you won't remember that this was a problem because you will have all new worries to deal with

Amanda - posted on 05/03/2011

If my son really likes something he will chow down on it than throw it he loves anything with spaghetti sauce he also loves fruits to