Anyone Else Struggling with "threenager"?

[RedCrab]

Ugh, hating parenting right now. My sweet chilled out little boy is just a different child since he turned three. Well it took a few months and he he's now just over three and a half but the difference is crazy. High, emotions all the time, difficult, non compliant, fussy about food, I find myself repeating things over and over and over again and nagging and - ugh, it's just so shit.

I know this is all normal but I feel like I've turned into a horrible parent in response. He's just so difficult to be around. I hate how I'm parenting - no patience because I'm so sick of the fuckery, feel like I'm so harsh with him, I'm not the kind gentle parent that I was. Terrible twos was nothing - absolutely nothing. He wasn't terrible at all. Now I'm getting it

[RedCrab]

So many typos too - sorry!

[GeoffreysGoat]

Yup, same. Started just before his birthday now rising 3 1/2. Constant shouting, bragging, running off, throwing/destroying/breaking stuff.

As my mum keeps reminding me as she pours me a stiff gin "it's only a phase"

[RedCrab]

Amen to that! It's the pits. Why does everyone go on about terrible twos? It was a breeze.

[GeoffreysGoat]

We seem to have rolled the whole lot into one - tantrums at 2 were sporadic, predictable and easily distracted from. The sheer anguish of the 3yo tantrum is hard to bear :'(

[RedCrab]

The anguish, yes. I don't know how to deal with him, at all. I want to be gentle and kind and patient but the reality is I'm just nagging and repeating myself, and getting annoyed. We lock horns all the time. It's not how I intended to parent and I am constantly getting my ass handed to me

I've ordered Positive Discipline for PreSchoolers but it's taking a very long time to arrive!

[GeoffreysGoat]

I don't even talk during the storm. Either leave him in his room (safe place) or just sit and hold his hand/cuddle. But even that much attention is too much for mine sometimes