Well, I only joined yesterday and felt really great that other people were experiencing the same behaviour with their children as mine. DD is 5, has the attitude of a teenager, and the temper of a rabid dog! She is very clever, knows how to push the buttons. I am trying all of the compromising/praise/being calm etc. I am trying to be consistent with the punishments etc and occasionally feel like i'm making some progress but feel like i'm losing the war because my useless plum of a husband won't stick to the rules. He's a laid back bloke that frankly needs hitting with a brick.
The current method of trying to controlling the tantrums is to make her calm down and be quiet for two minutes before anyone will talk to her or cuddle her, for this to work, she needs to be ignored completely. She has kicked off tonight and he gave in after 5 minutes screaming and went to talk to her which made her worse, so for 45 minutes she has screamed and shouted and generally made me angry as hell! I haven't helped matters because he doesn't do anything but stand there and I feel like something needs to be done and so i interfere and she thinks its great because mum and dad are arguing, and she's picking up ideas! I know i have to butt out.
Short of writing the rules on a blackboard and making him study them, I am at my whitts end.
Its bad enough dealing with the tantrums but to have to deal with him as well just makes me want to cry. I'm at the point of putting notes through the neighbours letterboxes apologising for the noise but letting them know that she isn't being smacked or anything but that she has anger issues!!!
Obviously I love them both but any tips gratefully received because i am going insane rapidly!