Is there an effective way to get a high-strung middle child 4 year old to calm the feck down (at least at key junctures like breakfast).

[FootprintsOnTheMoon]

The screaming and the shouting are getting on my DHs nerves. It seems to be particularly bad around him, tbh - excitement when he gets home; and particularly at the breakfast table.

My 4 year old specifically has developed a tendency to high-pitched scream if he's over wound up. This morning for example, he was kind of yelling stuff across the table to his sister (LA LA LA POO POO WEEEEEE I said POOO WEEE) and was asked to stop (several times). He petulantly kicked the table (and wouldn't stop) so was put on the step.... Where he sat and screamed (not cried, screamed) for ten minutes. Then he came back to the table and ate his breakfast.

I was out this evening, but apparently it was more of the same.

I'm not sure if I should be being tougher on him, or conversely, try not to pick at the minor stuff - but it's really dragging down 'family time' and DHs and DSs interactions.

Can you distract him? Would he allow himself to be diverted into, say, singing? What about i-spy, or challenging him to count the cheerios, or any stupid made-up game that a small boy might be suckered into?

Any idea why it's worse when your dh is around? Might ds be looking for more attention from him perhaps? Is dh tired/grumpy/wanting to do boring grown-up talking?

Some people might put cartoons on...

If it's any consolation, it sounds age-appropriate to me, so that means he will grow out of it one day .

Good luck!

Thing about disttraction, (and frankly why this issue goes so rancid) - he doesn't see it as misbehaviour per se. His speech isn't great, he's quite hi strung and sometimes he just is LOUD. So if I distracted him, he'd be LOUD doing something else.

DH - combo of excitement (DH is rarer and laxer than me), time of day (first thing and last thing) , middle child syndrome ....

ignore ignore ignore
middel child DS6 has now worked it out that shouting and screaming results in ignoring where as kisses and hugs equal mummy listening.

by teh way it is me who causes the excitemnet Dh is here all the time.
Also sendign him out to run round the garden with me chasing him when i get in is a good one then lots of lovely hugs when i catch him he cathces me.
he only gets a bed time story if dinner wnet well etc etc. we started all these things when he was about 4 as it was horrendous and i was pregnant and grumpy and coming in from work.