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Behaviour/development

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Original poster

I think there should be a bloody support group for parents of 3 year olds

481 replies

Limelight · 04/04/2011 20:11

It's like DS woke up a couple of months ago as a completely different person.

'Trying' incidents today:

  1. Complete refusal to even consider wearing any clothes. I mean, would genuinely have been very happy if I'd agreed to send him to pre-school in the buff.

  2. Running out into the road.

  3. Massive screaming kicking throwing things level tantrum because I'd dared suggest we go out with his friends to a club he normally loves. Because the children are naughty and it's all soggy. Apparently. Needless to say we didn't go because by the time he'd calmed down it was too late. So he had another massive tantrum because he couldn't go.

  4. Massive sulk because a kid he didn't know decided to play on the wrong slide. Apparently.

  5. Complete refusal to eat the dinner he helped me make because it had (completely imaginary) green bits in it. I wouldn't mind except it's normally one of his favourites.

Now admittedly he's very recently had chicken pox and is still a little irritable but when I think about it, he's been like this for a few months. I also have a 10wo DD which isn't helping. He loves her but is not hugely happy with DH and I for changing his life.

Totally exhausted. Going for a bath and a lie down.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 21:26

Thanks doormat that's only just over 23 years away for my eldest!!! -That's a lot of tantrums away! Grin

cookielove He smashed his last comfort toy he took to nursey Shock

He's become so demanding that I nickname him Elton John Grin

ilovemydogandMrObama · 04/04/2011 21:28

Just today, DS (3):

-- wanted to ride scooter. Fine. Goes into meltdown because he wants me to push him. Fine. Goes into meltdown because he wants to ride it himself Hmm

-- Takes off all clothes, gets a kilo bag of flour, pours on kitchen floor and has a wee on it.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 21:29

thefirstMrsDeVere FIVE!!!

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 21:30

Interesting recipe for bread ilovemydog - Jamie Oliver's perhaps?! Hmm

BeakerTheMuppetMuppet · 04/04/2011 21:31

ilovemy

that's some protest!

aStarWithHerOwnWays · 04/04/2011 21:32

Oh god. As a mum of a lovely 2.5yo DS who will be 3 approximately one month after DC2 is due to arrive, I wish I hadn't read this thread Grin

Forewarned is forearmed

Original poster
Limelight · 04/04/2011 21:32

Oh Kleftico I know the pain of negotiation:

Me: Can you put your shoes on?
DS: No. I can't. I don't want too. You're naughty and being mean to me.
Me: How about I put one shoe on and you do the other.
DS: I'm not a little baby like DD. I want to do it myself. Get off. You're naughty and being mean to me.
Me: Calm down! What's upsetting you about putting your shoes on?
DS: my shoes are hurting because they've got little tiny dogs in them.

OP posts:
Original poster
Limelight · 04/04/2011 21:34

That's a real conversation by the way...

OP posts:
Kleftico · 04/04/2011 21:35

Ilovemy that makes my day look tame

Pkam · 04/04/2011 21:36

Loving this post. I'm working on the 'tantrum avoidance' qualification. Today this meant leaving DD2 (3.4) with her shoes on the wrong feet because, 'that was how the fairies told her to wear them'. I knew the tantrum caused by me correcting them would just be unending....

Kleftico · 04/04/2011 21:40

Limelight, two recent conversations along those exact lines come to mind: first was at the school door when the head teacher crouched down and asked DD to leave her dolly pram outside, in a lovely way. " that lady's making me feel like crying." huge apologies from me. And second, " stop holding my hand mummy (on a busy road), YOU'RE MAKING MY ARM HURTING! REALLY HURTING!". brilliant, loads of people staring both times. Blush

ChildofIsis · 04/04/2011 21:44

My dd is almost 5 and she too became 'menkle' at 3.

We still have the negotiating mum never wins meltdowns if she'd tired or ill.

Tonight it was the 'I'm not hungry/where's my tea?' debacle.
It's a regular monday nighter, over-tired after her ballet class that she loves and wants, but is now saying is too much like excercise!

Friday and the school hols can't come quick enough for us, roll on lie-ins and no phonics.

juneau · 04/04/2011 21:45

Oh three. Why does nobody warn you? I was feeling all smug too until my angelic two-year-old DS turned three and into a tantrum-throwing, screaming and thrashing on the floor, hysterics for absolutely no reason, drama queen. My SIL assures me that four is worse. She calls it the f*ing fours.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 21:49

'too much like exercise!' lol I like her way of thinking - a girl after my own (and probably flabby) heart ChildofIsis Grin

thefirstMrsDeVere · 04/04/2011 21:50

My DS was just getting toilet trained as he turned three. Hurray with thought.

He recently decided he didnt want to wee in the toilet anymore and was going to 'do it like the dogs' in the garden.

This Sunday he decided to take it to the next level Shock

Menkle I tell you.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 21:55

It must be great to be a three year old - uninhibited, liberated and 'thinking out the box' mentality - I'm sooo jealous, really Envy (although I would draw a line at weeing in the garden MrsDeVere - that's just 'menkle' Grin )

Jacksmania · 04/04/2011 21:58

May I join? I could use some support with a 3-year-old who freaks out over imaginary dust in the bath water, imaginary bugs in the bath water... and the 3-year-old whinging and whining. F*ck me. Sometimes I just want to pin a target on the wall that says "bang head here".

Am stressed to the max today because he goes to nursery on Mondays now (since about a month ago) and is having a hard time settling. :(

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 22:01

Sad Jacksmania is he as unsettled as when you first started with nursery? Usually they make a break through at about a month - but can regress - like mine who wanted to come to the docs with me today as he thinks this is more fun than nursery Hmm

Kleftico · 04/04/2011 22:02

Thefirstmrsdevere my then 3 year old DS did take it "to the next level". It was a race against time to stop him curling one up and barring the dog from eating it.
So hey he did have his moments!
DD stopped napping at 2.5. I then had to (still am) endure afternoons of screaming "I'm not tired, NOT TIRED...I hate you, I HATE SLEEPING ARGGGGGHHHHHH." Lovely. She is beautiful though and has lovely moments, I'm just too tired to think of them now.

Jacksmania · 04/04/2011 22:04

No, he was actually fine for the first few Mondays and then had a crap day because he was ill, and didn't want to go today. We're going to persevere (we have to, I have to work Mondays) because it's best for him as he's an only so really needs to interact with other children, it's just hard. Thank you for asking.

Bumperlicioso · 04/04/2011 22:05

I agree, three is hard, but dd1 also hasn't been herself since chicken pox over a month ago. Very tantrumy and melodramatic 'I'm never tidying up ever again' and lots of humphing and stamping her feet. Bloody hard work, especially with a baby (I also have a 6 month old).

BadPoet · 04/04/2011 22:11

I absolutely agree. I didn't know this was a universal truth until I found myself with a 3 year gap. Dear GOD it was hard.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 22:11

Jacksmania - ah IKWYM - DS1 is like that after not being in nursery for a while - after illness, Christmas, holidays. DS1 enjoys time with other little people - other than his 5ft mother Grin

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 04/04/2011 22:15

Ditto Bumperlicioso do you think she's been more ahem 'entertaining' since arrival of the baby? My DS1 loves DS2 but he's been very attention seeking with me/pitting one parent of the other since his arrival Hmm

Bumperlicioso · 04/04/2011 22:19

Yes, dd1 absolutely adores dd2, is lovely with her, which I am very grateful for, I understand it could go completely the other way. But she has changed with dh and I.

To be fair to her she turned 3, we moved house and the baby came all in the space of 3 months.

I'm sure there is a definite chicken pox hangover too.