How to deal with your toddler telling you they don’t love you
Soo… my son has been having a few tantrums here and there where he yells and if I say he’s going on time out he’ll say “No I’m putting you on time out!” But that’s been the worst of it, I usually tell him to take some breath, play with some toys in his room and I’ll come get him in 5 minutes.
Today, just mid conversation, while eating a popsicle he tells me -like it was a fact- he doesn’t love me and doesn’t wanna live here anymore. I gently questioned him why but beyond that I didn’t know what to do. We continued playing and having a good day but then he randomly says. “I really wanna live at Nana’s house. I don’t wanna be here anymore.”
I’m just looking for your approaches if this has happened to you. I know he’s 2 and processes emotions differently but it broke my heart, specifically because it wasn’t during a tantrum but in the middle of what I thought was a good day.
Show your support
@Lauren thank you ♥️
I think he’s just telling you he missed nana but in 2 year old fashion they say the darnest things. I would reassure him that you love him too!
Trending in our community
“Hey —- i know that you have sooo much fun at nanas house, and you want to go there. But im your mommy and i love you very much. And if we use our kind words and listening ears we can have just as much fun at home with your mommy who loves you very very much.” Get him at a calm time and if you see him shutting conversation down or becoming upset come back to it later. But express your love not conditional to his behavior, but his behavior conditional to his rewards. Use fun facial expressions and be positive dont tell him “ well this hurts my feelings “ because that’s unintentionally to him what he wants to do when he becomes upset. Give rewards, hey you cleaned up your table so nice, that was so nice you did xyz , why don’t we….., those are such kind words, ect. Navigating this age is about regulating your adult emotions and never showing disappointment or sadness to his bad behavior. Its just an encouragement to him. Best of luck 🫶🏼.