Anyone else w/a screeching/whiny all day 16 month old? What are some things u do that help u not get worked up?
My 11 month old does this, I pretend she’s trying to sing loudly. So I too sing loudly, she really likes this.
Ears checked for hearing loss? On the autism spectrum? Sensory processing disorder? ADHD? Anything hurting your little one? Check with the doctor if there might be a physical cause. Getting enough sleep/naps? Just bored?
I’d get your child out of the house as much as possible to run around, or in a recreation center to engage in activities—swim classes can be great & are offered most places, for example. Physical activity followed by exhaustion can make for great naps but get them in bed/crib before they get overtired.
Maybe turn on some kid songs and have her/him sing & dance along to channel some of that noise. “Shake Your Sillies Out” is a good one. Give them a straw in the bathtub and let them yell under water. Have your child help out with whatever you’re doing to keep them occupied and learning new skills. Yes, it will slow you down now, but will pay off in the long run.
Go ahead and scream along when you get frustrated! Then teach some skills for cooling off when upset. Go out for a run, do jumping jacks, punch a pillow, count to 10 or 50 or 100 until you can relax.
This is a very curious age. Find simple puzzles, DUPLOs, clay or kinetic sand, stencils, and lots of other things to do, and show how things work around the house. Little play kitchens, workbenches, vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers, etc. can let them do things along with you and help teach them household skills. Teach cleaning up and putting away after each activity, but make it simple to do with bins, shelves, bags. Give her/him chances to master something simple and praise them for persistence in working to achieve the accomplishment. Kids want to do so much and get upset when they’re still learning and have trouble succeeding.
Libraries often have great kids programs where you can let someone else entertain your child for an hour. Playgrounds and park programs for children are great in decent weather.
Feed healthy foods for 3 meals & 3 snacks a day. We all want to scream when we’re hangry.
Stick to a regular schedule as much as possible so your child always knows what’s going to happen next. It helps them maintain an equilibrium.
Also make sure you’re paying attention to your baby. Let them know when during the day they can have your undivided attention. It’s the 10-50 rule: if you provide 10 minutes of one-on-one full attention, it may win you 50 minutes of peace in every hour.
You can try wearing headphones with soothing sounds to drown out the screaming, doing yoga and inviting your child to follow along, running in place, doing jumping jacks/burpees, etc.
Good luck! Just when you figure out what works, everything changes again. 