HELP - I've lost my way!!

It sounds as though you are working yourself up into a bit of a state, and that won’t help in trying to establish a recognisable routine. It is best if you can stay calm and approach it in a structured way. It certainly helps to have a routine for mealtimes, as otherwise toddlers won’t get the idea that they have breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and are more likely to be fussy and have lots of snacks. That said, many young children this age do go through a fussy phase, so don’t panic too much about that. However, she really doesn’t need bottles at all at this age. Her drinks should be coming from a cup. If it is difficult for you, try and do it one stage at a time. Make your mind up that this week you will definitely have a recognisable dinner time and stick to that at the time you decide suits you both, each day. It is best to sit at the table so that she gets the idea that mealtimes are a family occasion. Once you have got one meal sorted out in this way, then you can perhaps try breakfast. Doing it gradually will give the best chance of success rather than trying to change everything she is used to overnight.

Thx Lesley127 and CaseyJaye

Thankyou for the positive comments. She is definately very active and happy so I suppose she is the best judge on how I'm doing, going to get back into a routine and not be so hard on myself. THANK YOU BOTH AGAIN X

hi hunny i too was a single mum for 6 yrs i had little routine and mealtime what mealtimes? When my on was 2yrs i couldn't get him to eat anything other than sausage chicken nuggets, cereal and sandwhiches. I still have problems with his eating and hes 8yrs now but i have found he goes through stages and if i put something done for him and he felt i was preasuring him at that young age he wouldn't eat at all. To start with i gave him yoghurts and stuff like that and he would eat it then i just tried other things that wasn't what he was used too. Try and eat together with your daughter as sometime that works, and try and have it by 5/6pm for dinner and 12/1 for lunch. Bed times i would put him to bed about 6pm during the wk and did story drink toilet bed. If he played up and was crying alot i would leave him for a while (although the crying did my head in) he would normally go off to sleep pretty quick that way. If he kept getting up i would keep putting him back into his bed no matter how many times he got up. My son only started staying in bed when i got with my husband 2 yrs ago when he felt settled and happier. Are you feeling down in yourself, and stressed at the main times of the day like mealtimes and bad times? Your daughter will play on your emotions and these time (my son still does at meal times) but i do believe if you try and keep calm and keep trying you and your daughter will get through this. good luck with this hun. It's hard but i believe you both can get through this difficult time. You sound like your being the best mum you can be. take care. xxx

Routines are very good things with baby's and toddlers! Decide firstly how you want your day to be and if it helps draw up a rota so you can glance at it now and then, remember its not set in stone and you can deviate. If she's a fussy eater re-start proper meal times with the food she does like and will eat with only healthy snacks like fruit in between and then slowly introduce different foods with the promise of nice dessert and a lot of praise if she at least tries them. As for milk do you mean actual bottles with teats still? She should be having a beaker at least if not a proper little open cup, at two milk is not a substitute for food but it is still good for her. If she's active and happy in herself then your doing fine :) x

Can anyone help with a daily routine for my just two year old? I've never been one for routines myself as I'm not that organised but recently what routine my daughter and I had seems to have gone out the window and every day seems chaotic which really isn't doing my sanity any good and I find I achieve very little.I am a single mum and sometimes feel I'm doing it all wrong. My daughter has become fussy with her food also so we don't seem to have mealtimes now and I find myself giving her more bottles of milk to make up for it. I don't know if she should be having bottles of milk anymore. thx