To ask how you discipline/manager your toddler

[KellyElly]

I have a 2.8 year old DD. She has a lovely nature and is quite independent and strong willed which is a good thing in my opinion. She is an angel with family/childminder/dad etc but I feel like I am constantly doing battle with her.

She repeats what I say when I tell her off with a smirk on her face (so annoying), has to be asked about ten times to do anything (usually says no just for the sake of it), has a tantrum about going to bed every night, won't get her clothes etc on and runs away trying to make it into a game (nightmare in the morning when trying to get to work), refuses to let me clean her teeth (she wants to do it - even when I say she can finish if I start) and has quite a lot of tantrums when she can't get her own way (very occasionally smacking me or kicking me).

I don't want to paint her to be a nightmare as she is loving and good natured as well but I am just at a loss how to deal with this change in her personality. I am fairly strict (not over the top) and up until now saying no, counting to three and sometimes time out has worked but not any more. I feel like I'm constantly telling her off and I hate it. Had a really bad day with her the other day and sat and cried after I put her to bed. I'm a single mum so maybe I let it get on top of me more as it's just me and her. It's the repeating what I say with a smirk that drives me insane.

AIBU - will this just pass and is normal or have I spoilt her and made a rod for my own back without meaning to?

How to talk there's probably a copy at your library.

TheMightyMojoceratops she is quite verbal but generally when she's at the repeating things stage if I try and talk to her about it she starts screaming her words at me and getting angry. From reading the other posts about how I need to change in my approach this may change when I become more positive and we can have more of a dialogue.

FolkGirl You sound so much more of a fun mum than me! I need to/wish I could be more like that. Sometimes I am but things have been very stressful for me recently and I don't have as much patience as I know I should. I think I need to look at myself and the way I approach things and that will help. Who knows, maybe this change in her is a result of me being quite stressed out recently even though I have been trying my hardest to not let it affect her. They are like little sponges though.

TeWiDoesTheHulaInHawaii I bought it on Amazon - sounds like one I want to keep and refer to as and when necessary :)