How do you pacify a 23-month old who's in the "terrible 2's stage"?

Question

My friend (29 y/o), her sister (18 y/o), & her sister's almost 2-yr. old daughter are spending the night here. The baby is very miserable & hollers & cries 24/7. All the mom does is yell @ her, spank her, & tell her to STFU. I understand the baby's frustration & sadness. I want happiness & comfort for her, but she screams & runs away from me every time I walk towards her. The baby never did like me at all. I don't know what reason (I'm 24.) I never got to hold her or anything, but she sees me pretty often.

But anyway, I feel bad for this baby screaming in AGONIZING misery. There's nothing you can do to make this baby happy or @ least content & satisfied. She doesn't even like to sleep. When they try to put her to sleep, she cries. She doesn't like to get her diaper changed, she doesn't like to eat (no wonder-her mom only feeds her fast food & candy, & her teeth are ALL gone. They were rotten, but now, she's toothless again), she is only clingy to her aunt (my friend). She thinks my friend is her mommy. My friend has reported this crazy girl (her sister) to CPS & sometimes the cops, depending on how bad it is, & they (CPS) so-claim to have an overloaded caseload. It hurts both me & my friend to see her niece having such a miserable early life experience. & she only says 3 curse words, da-da, & no. Nothing else. She spends most of the day crying & screaming, with her nose running & face bloody red. What can we do?

Answer 1

the cps should take the child away from mum i no this isnt nice but it sounds like the best for her or mayb her aunt could take her if the cps see this fit it sounds like shes only crying because she is so miserable her mum should do the best for her daughter i no lots of women that realy would love a little girl and u get people like her it makes u sick try askin the mum if she still wants her daughter if she dosnt then tell her 2 hand over perental rights to the poor girl mayb then she will have a better life

Answer 2

The kid's being abused, but you know that.

Call CPS again and again and again and the cops again and again and again.  Better would be if the aunt would take her (legally), and then move about 300 miles away until the sister gets on track.

A crying 2 yr. old is normal.  Being a pain in the butt is normal.  Having the kid not be loved despite that will only lead to a miserable childhood, then a miserable adulthood.

Answer 3

THAT isn't the way to deal with it...

but you can't really...

Answer 4

wow, it breaks my heart to think that this little girl is not being loved and properly cared for , by her own mother. This child deserves to be loved, and yes even though toddlers that age can show some difficult behavior, they are also very inquisitve, fun and deserve to enjoy childhood to the fullest. The fact that her mother has allowed to let ger teeth rot out, is horrendous. That in itself shows absolute neglect. Does your friend bring her to the doc's for regular check-ups?? If yes, contact the pediatrician and try and get him involved. Maybe he can contact CPS as well...PLease don't give up on this child. She may be seriously ill and hurting and that's why she is always so miserable, becasue she is not getting propper attention. NO 23 month old cries ALL DAY LONG....there is defintiely something going on, and it's not the toddlers fault. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try and get this little girl some help, be persistant with CPS..this child deserves a normal childhood where she is loved and cared for.

Answer 5

I think that you need to offer to babysit with nobody around but you and the little girl.  See what happens.  See if you can get close to her.  Offer her whatever she will eat, and make her take it from you.  Or you could offer her some very bright sparkly or glittery type of toy, but she must take it from you.  Once she takes it from you, there will be a break in that wall.  Keep offering things to her until she sees you are not going to mistreat her.  It sounds for all the world that she is afraid of adults and that she's been badly mistreated.  If you can get her to sit with you or play with you, you will be able to see more.  If you can, keep babysitting once in a while and keep those same tricks in hand.  She will warm up to you.  It's just going to take some time.  I think that the authorities need to be called in again   Keep calling them until you know they are doing something about this child.  Until they do, offer to have the little girl over at your place as often as possible.  Those breaks from her mother will help things for her.  Maybe you can help her get started eating better when she sees you eating healthy foods.  I feel so very sorry for her.  Thank on her behalf for trying to help and being so concerned.