Lost my temper with 3 yo at a toddler class

[overrst]

DD has had a thing for ages now where she will slam her whole body into mine. For example, if I’m sitting on the sofa she’ll stand up and collapse into me or when I’m getting her dressed she’ll suddenly fling herself on me. Obviously I’ve been trying to discourage her from doing this for ages, but it’s difficult because it catches me by surprise.

She goes to a weekly toddler group and it’s bad there because I’m sat on the floor and she’ll be in the middle and then suddenly run at me full force and all it takes is me briefly looking elsewhere for it to catch me by surprise and we’ve both been hurt when she’s done it but she still keeps doing it.

So today she was on the other side of the room and I was caught unaware and she slammed into me full force and sort of snapped my mouth shut so I bit my tongue (this must be the third time this has happened) and I shouted at her NO. She was crying as she’d been hurt too but I didn’t comfort her or anything just kept snapping and snarling at her.

I definitely had some looks and got frosty vibes from the person next to me and I feel bad about it now and as if I could have dealt with it better but honestly it’s awful!

I wouldn’t worry about the other parent. I am sure she wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of DDs body slamming.

I might try talking to her about it when you’re getting ready to read her a bedtime story, or when you think she is calm and receptive.

Tell her how much it upsets you and that the more she does it, the less you want to play with her in case she does it. From now on you will be moving out of the way if she does it and she could end up seriously injuring herself and no longer being able to do ballet/whatever.

It mustn’t happen ever again.

Yep, mine does stuff like this. I find firm physical contact from me and DH helps a lot e.g. play fighting & rolling around together, very firm massage, big squeezey hugs, lifting him up/upside down etc etc etc. He seems to need this sort of contact daily as well as lots of space/time to run and jump around doing his own thing. Otherwise he will literally hang off of or jump all over us.

There's a term for this apparently; I can't remember it now but it is a thing and its different from just needing to burn energy or wanting a hug. It's needing that kind of deep-tissue contact or something.