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Home » Motherhood » Tips to Handle a Grumpy or Cranky Toddler

Tips to Handle a Grumpy or Cranky Toddler

By Seng Nickerson Updated on October 25, 2025

Content may contain affiliate links. When you shop the links, we receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting my small business.

This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Triple Paste; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

how to handle cranky and grumpy  baby or toddler

I cannot believe my little Lorelei is turning a year in a few days. With three other siblings, you can bet that our house is pretty loud. However, this girl definitely knows how to make her voice heard.

how to handle cranky and grumpy  baby or toddler

Here’s the thing though. When the big kids get crabby, it’s not so bad. They whine and cry and you can tell them to go to their room. With this babe, any babe under two, their mood can make or break the mood of the entire house that day.

While we try not to spoil her as the youngest, we do try to keep the peace by keeping her smiling and laughing as much as possible!

You can bet with four kids, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to turning around a babe with a cranky mood.

how to handle cranky and grumpy  baby or toddler

Keep Your Temper in Check. The last thing you want to do is get in the same mood. Just count to ten if you need to. You’ll want to keep your frustration in check so you can defuse the situation.

Food. I keep food handy as bribery. Yes, I know, bribery is not always the answer, but it’s worked in my household. I’m not talking candy. Yogurt would do just fine! Just make sure you don’t do this all the time, or you’ll just create a scarier toddler in the future!

Bath Time. A warm, bubble bath with the scent of lavender always get babies in a great mood!

Establish a Routine. You guys, this has been a saving grace. I’ve heard so many friends tell me that they don’t have a routine for bedtime and it’s always different and a frustration. I don’t get it!! If you establish a routine early on, this will be a huge win for you. This works even for my 1st grader!

Change the Diaper. This is so obvious, but check the diaper. You can tell a lot by just changing your baby’s diaper. With a younger babe, sometimes he/she may get uncomfortable. It is super important especially when your kiddo may be taking meds that may cause diaper rashes. Mom Tip: I use Triple Paste because it is super effective for all of my babies! Happy baby bottom = happy baby! The fragrance free, hypoallergenic formula works fast to relieve irritated skin from a diaper rash and protect chafed skin as well as promote healing.This is my go to diaper cream because I can typically put in on overnight, and the next morning the diaper rash would disappear! Aside from how quickly it can change the appearance of the rash, the cream is nice, thick and silky and glides on easily on a chafed bottom.


Confirm Their Feelings. If your baby is old enough to understand, you can tell them that you understand what they are feeling and just hug them for longer than normal. This worked for half of my kids!

confirm

Nap Time. Yes, nap time is HUGE. Will you believe it when I tell you ALL of my kids still nap? They are all 1st Grade and under. Yep, on the weekends! Baby girl needs naps three times a day. And I know she needs one when we accidentally skip them. It’s their time to recharge!

Grumpy and bad moods happen – and you know what? That’s okay. Just remember the saying, “The days are long, but the years are short.” It may stress you out now, but just try not to let it get to you. Because in a few hours, they’ll be back to their normal, loving selves by coming up to you and giving you the biggest hug ever.

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Seng Nickerson

About Seng Nickerson

Hi, I'm Seng — a mom of four making our home work harder for us, one project at a time. I share home DIY, budget decor finds, and the organizing systems that hold up to real family life, with honest notes on what things cost and what I'd do differently.

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Seng Nickerson

Hi, I'm Seng — mom of four, making our home work harder for us one project at a time. By day I'm in tech; the rest of the time I share home DIY, budget decor finds, and organizing that actually survives real family life — always with honest notes on what it cost and what I'd do differently.

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