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AIBU?

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How are you supposed to handle this with a three year old? Just so sick of it!!!

27 replies

Haddenoughh · 15/04/2026 17:44

DS is 3.5. A lot of the time he’s very chilled. Only child and was a pretty easy baby (prob not relevant but maybe is relevant to the fact I’m totally taken aback by his behaviour!).

Although I’m a single mum he sees his dad lots (doesn’t stay over as we agreed one base is best for him). Sees grandparents regularly. Has friends at nursery or at least chats about others and seems happy.

An example… a few nights ago he got back from nursery and just refused to come into the house saying he wanted to live in a tent and I wasn’t his best friend anymore because I don’t let him live in a tent. Every time I tried to take him out of the car seat he’d pull my hair or hit me and he did it so hard at one point and at one angle that my face bled a bit. At that point I went into the house and left him in the car so I had a moment to breath and calm down (he was in view from house at all time). I decided to go back and just struggle to get him in the house which involved him kicking me and screaming. We got in the house and he matched upstairs and slammed the door on me and I kept going upstairs saying let’s have a chat, do you want to come down now for dinner etc and I was just hit and screamed at again and again. Eventually I said he could shout me when he had calmed down, this took around 40 minutes, during which time he was crying on and off but having been up and downstairs for so long already I felt that leaving him a bit with him knowing I was ready when he was was the best option. But was it? Was that the right thing to do?

I am quite shocked by how he’s started behaving and I don’t know if it’s just normal. It’s the hitting I really can’t stand and don’t know how to cope with. He’s quite big for his age too so I do struggle with lifting him etc when he’s like this. I would say I am reasonably strict in general with bedtime or tv and so on but then again outside of work almost every hour is dedicated to ensuing he is having a good day. I don’t know if I am doing or not doing something that is causing this behaviour and I don’t know if im dealing with it in the right way.

Feel totally and utterly fed up.

OP posts:
Ohthatsabitshit · 15/04/2026 18:01

I think that sounds very extreme. Try a small snack in the car and see if he’s just exhausted from nursery. Tell his Dad what is happening so he can support better behaviour.

NobodysChildNow · 15/04/2026 17:55

Nursery can be exhausting for little kids. Being overtired and/or overstimulated leads to the biggest meltdowns in my own kids.
It’s often something absurd that sets them off - like the tent thing.

My ds in particular would hit me at this age. He didn’t hit anyone else! Just me. I guess I was his “safe space” so I got the abuse when he felt overwhelmed.

At this age they hurt you without thinking about it. I’d have no hesitation to firmly tell him “gentle hands, do not hit me, it hurts me.”

I’d also try humour - when he has a rage I’d say, “you’ve had your turn being angry, it’s my turn now! So be quiet so I can have my turn being angry ” And do an angry face and wave your arms about and growl dramatically . Usually this would male my ds laugh and once they laugh the anger often dissipates.

Definitely talk to nursery and mention he has been kicking off. Ask them to talk to him about gentle hands, being kind etc.

It will pass as he gets older, probably in about a year.

My ds is 7 now and under no circumstances would he hit me in anger now. But he’ll hit his friends if they annoy him now! So we are working on that .