disruptive 3 year old what do i do............

[rosebud1980]

ok im nearly 8mths pregnant husband away in the navy. When dh left ds {3} became unsettled at bedtimes, pre-school-didnt want to go out, couldnt leave with anyone answering back not doing as hes told, screaming and being sick.

Im am knackered ive been trying to sleep train and so have been up and down the stairs putting him back to bed by which time he doesnt go bed til late and hes tired and grumpy the next day. Hes even taken to coming into my bed at night but im so tired i havent the energy to keep putting him back-in fact ive given in and hes resorted to sleeping in my bed. During the day he doesnt eat great-if i shout at him he shouts back he has to have the last word-tells me to stop, go away, shut up. If i put him on the naughty step he gets off screams and shouts to point of being sick and starts hitting me.Im just so emotional i cant cope with it and sometimes end up doing things myself and ignoring him.i just feel like since his dads been away hes turned into a monster and now i am wks away before having another baby.

[Scootergrrrl]

It sounds like you've got into a real vicious circle with his behaviour and your tiredness. Have to go and put the monkeys to bed but will have a think if I can help with any suggestions.

My DH is in the army and went away when DD was 3 and she was a bugger so I'll try and remember how we got through it.

[rosebud1980]

ah thankyou could really do with the advice

[Scootergrrrl]

Right, as far as I remember (and I'm trying to block much of it out ) we had a two-pronged attack of rewards for good behaviour and zero tolerance at bedtime.
When she got up, I simply put her back, although I wasn't heavily pregnant at the time!
Plus we had a chart with sunshines for good behaviour and clouds for naughtiness, with black clouds for the real humdingers. That worked well.
And maybe try to make time to have fun together - you can get into such a grind with it that you forget they're special little people too (when they're not being little horrors!)
Is there anything which you really want to knock on the head or it is everything?