smacked ds' bottam this morning - feel like a rubbish mum :(

[BurningBuntingFlipFlop]

Ds (4 next week) isn't going to sleep until 10/11pm at the moment, it doesn't what we do he can just keep himself awake. So, inevitably he is shattered in the mornings. This morning we were running late for pre school because he wouldn't eat his breakfast/brush his teeth/put his shoes on etc. I have a 2 year old dd who is full on terrible twos and i just find myself shouting at ds all the time. I hate it, i never used to shout but he's 4 almost and he won't do things he's been doing okay for a year and answers me back constantly. This morning i lost it when he was answering back and smacked his bottam. I said sorry and told him i shouldn't have done that but i feel like utter crap.

He barely ate a handful of dry rice krispies either : (

He's got a party at pre school today and what a horrible start to his day.

Anyone have any tips for mornings for sept?

[DoMeDon]

Can you give more time to the mornings so there is less of a rush; also a portable breakfast so you don't feel he is missing out?

I would seriously tackle the sleep issue over the summer. When DC are tired their behaviour will deteriorate. When you say he is awake- is he up , out of his room or just laying there?

Also how do you deal with the terrible 2's? Do you try to ignore DDs tantrums? If you do, while we understand it, that will seem massively unfair to DS - who will percieve an imbalance in in his treatment as more is expected of him.

[Shortie815]

What you need to do (for Ds) is to give him a treat. Whatever it is, like a big day out to Legoland, or even just an ice lolly, he will feel appreciated. I think the thing with Bs is that he is felling a bit left out and under-appreciated. However much you do give him love, and I respect that, but all tots his age go through traumas like this.
Hope this helps xx
SHORTIE.