Is this just the terrible two's or is it more?

My son is 20mnths old I'm really starting to think that maybe his actions is a little more than terrible two's but Im not sure since he is my first child. When he throws fits in a store he screams to the top of his lungs like he is dying and he wiggles around to try to get down but i dont put him down because i know he wants to just take off running, he will continue to do this for more than an hour. When i try to change his diaper he screams every time regaurdless of it being dirty or just wet and he doesn't have any diapers rash so i know its not that. I'm not sure what to think at this point i just need a little reassurance and Im having a hard time with disapline i try the little smack on the hand and saying no no to trying time out in the corner, nothing is seeming to work.Any advice or what have you greatly appreciated.

dang...idk, my son went through some tough stages but it was mostly just getting into everything and breaking things...I'm watching this post  

Sounds fairly normal to me. You need to pick a discipline route and stick to it. What happens when you put him in time out? What steps do you follow?

Wow,   I'm sorry mama!
My son is also 20 months..and his tantrums are just crying every now and again. He's only thrown one tantrum and that was like a week ago...over juice.

my oldest was this way.. i tried everything then i tried the redirecting and rewords for good actions ect. he is a very well behaved toddler now we still have our days but a lot less then what they where. i also allow him to walk around with me in the stores on the lines he has to hold the cart if he doesn't he goes in the cart.

Quoting Jennybananna:" Sounds fairly normal to me. You need to pick a discipline route and stick to it. What happens when you put him in time out? What steps do you follow?"

I give him three warnings if he still doesnt listen i put him in time out but i have to stand him up in time out and count out loud. It doesnt work that great

Quoting Lovin'mylil'man:" I give him three warnings if he still doesnt listen i put him in time out but i have to stand him up in time out and count out loud. It doesnt work that great"

Oh, I do 1 warning and then it punishment. It just stresses both of us out to repeat myself over and over....Unless its something he knows better than to be doing, like tantrums, I have no tolerance for that smurf.

Quoting Tea Bag McGee:" my oldest was this way.. i tried everything then i tried the redirecting and rewords for good actions ... [snip!] ... i also allow him to walk around with me in the stores on the lines he has to hold the cart if he doesn't he goes in the cart. "

I do show him lots of positive attention and reward him for good behavior and i havent thought about that have him hold onto the cart or he goes in we normally walk hand in hand through the store until he starts up a fit. He hits and kicks idk why he does it i never let him get away with it i want the bad behavior to stop maybe it has something to do with he doesnt have a whole lot of play dates you know where he can just play with kids his age. He was a little to rough last time we had a play date and those ppl have tried to not really communicate with us anymore. I hate feeling like this i feel so hopeless i want him to be nice to other kids.

Quoting BareFootBabyMaker:" Oh, I do 1 warning and then it punishment. It just stresses both of us out to repeat myself over and ... [snip!] ... over and over....Unless its something he knows better than to be doing, like tantrums, I have no tolerance for that smurf."

I am a really patient person i dont loose my cool that often maybe i should go ahead and start giving one warning and the its punishment time what method do u think works best for a 20mnth old becuz time out isnt working

Quoting Lovin'mylil'man:" I am a really patient person i dont loose my cool that often maybe i should go ahead and start giving ... [snip!] ... giving one warning and the its punishment time what method do u think works best for a 20mnth old becuz time out isnt working"

Every kid is different but I've never done the "corner" thing with my son. Instead, I make him go to his room and shut his door for 5-10 min. We call it quiet time...sometimes he still throws a fit, sometimes he just goes in there and plays, but whenever I tell him he can come out we talk about what happened. Its a huge attitude difference from the time quiet time starts and ends lol.

When we are in public I let him be his own person. I'm pretty laid back I guess, if he wants to get down and play with toys I let him. And if he wants to walk I let him do that too. Only if he starts acting up I let him know that he will have to sit in the cart.

We have pretty great communication.

At 20 months for time out this is what I did and it seemed to work
1 warning- Savannah stop doing (blank) or you will go to time out
Savannah you didnt stop doing (blank) like mommy asked so now you need to go to time out for 1 minute (1 minute per year of age)
Time out is 1 full minute once they stop screaming, crying, ect. If she gets up I say nothing pick her back up and put her back on the stair. This could go on for 2 minutes or 2 hours but you have to stay consistent.
When she has finally done her 1 minute I get down on her level look her in the eyes and say Savannah mommy put you in time out because you did (blank). Then I make her apologize and we do hugs and kisses.
She is 3 now so I now make her tell me why she was in time out instead of me telling her.