Help! My 5 year old has suddenly turned into a monster!

[parentallyinept]

Up until very recently, my 5yo DS was a good child. Since he's started school however, he's suddenly turned into the child from Hell, having full-blown tantrums, not doing as he is told, answering back, and apparantly snatching things from other children at school and crying when he doesn't get his own way.

I'm getting fed up of turning up to collect him from school and being told yet another thing that he's done, and he's changed at home too and i feel like i'm losing my lovely little boy

He went to Nursery, so the school environment/structure isn't new to him, and seemed to settle quickly at school initially. Nothing has changed at home, so really don't know what to do and i'm really struggling given that i'm 22 weeks pregnant and have a 14 month old DD as well, and i've got SPD.

Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as i literally got him home from school this afternoon and sobbed

My 5yo DS is doing exactly the same as yours. I've read similar threads here that say many children behave like this on starting school, but it's not much of a comfort.

I don't have any magic answer, I'm afraid, but we're sticking to the old chestnut of consistency: not accepting the behaviour and being quite strict about this at all times but trying to let other, littler, things slide and ignoring those. I've also tried to put myself in his shoes: being subjected to the discipline of school, among so many other bigger folk, ALL DAY is a big change from nursery, so it's a bit inevitable that all the sh*t stuff comes out at home. I've tried to talk to him about how he's getting to be a bigger boy and this brings all sorts of wonderful things, but it's hard too. Big hugs and reassurance. We're sticking with this and waiting for our DS to come back, which I think he will in time.

I don't know if this helps...

Hi, I have 3 DS's. Boys have a large testosterone spurt around the age of 5; this then levels off until they become teenagers. I'd bet this is what it is. I'd suggest making sure he does lots of physical exercise to burn up some of that energy/aggression! Starting school is an added stress for him - but the hormone thing could be the main one.

Good luck!