Sorry to sound whiney. My DS2 is 2.5 and just such a bloody handful. I hate comparing to his older DS but that's all I can use as a yardstick, and they are such different beasts. There are two issues which I'm trying to understand and improve.
Sleeping. He's always been an abismal sleeper. He finally slept through the night at about 20 months, and at 2 he climbed out of his cot repeatedly, so we took the sides off and put on a guard. The sleeping through status quo was maintained for about a month, but then went rapidly downhill. He has reverted to getting out of bed and coming into our room 4,5,6 times during the night from 11pm onwards ( goes to bed and sleep well initially). In the last four months we have tried various methods to get him to stay in his bed; silently returning him with little/no negotiation. Negotiation. Rewards/bribery (sticker charts, treats etc). Nothing is working. We've given each method a good shot of 10 days plus, and only given up when there isn't even a flicker of improvement. He doesn't even come straight into us any more, he sits on the landing because he knows if we find him there we'll take him back to bed. I won't co-sleep or have him in my bed as I then get no sleep. After getting up 5 times in 7 hours on Friday night the cot sides have gone back on. Instead I've now got howling and shouting 5 times a night instead which just wakes his sister up too. I've no idea how to get over this, and he is tired and grumpy and fractious and so am I.
Behaviour. And then whether it is connected or not but he is just so full on all the time that he is awake. He plays with nothing, he has the usual requisite toys but they aren't played with, he would rather just career from one banned activity to another. I know all toddlers do this stuff, and I understand he's pushing boundaries, exploring, learning, exercising his will etc etc but its just so bloody tiring and constant. I try very hard to pick my battles (and to ignore tantrums all together without 'feeding' them), but even something like saying he can't have a biscuit results in a tantrum of gargantuan proportions where kitchen units are kicked and floor is pounded. Everything I try to 'help' with is met with NO NO NO NO NO NO, so leaving the house to get his sister from school can take an hour - refusal to put trousers on, coat, shoes. Mealtimes are met with a flat on refusal to eat anything at all, whatever is presented, and we just ignore his howling and wailing and protesting until finally he'll pick up his fork and eat. Every single family meal for weeks is to a soundtrack of him protesting. And I don't mean odd protests or odd tantrums, its all day. Id guess at least 2 per hour all day. Today its been the usual breakfast, getting dressed, doing the car seat up, walking to school, taking shoes and coat off when back...on and on. He gets loads and loads of fresh air and exercise, every single day. As I say he plays with nothing, if he gets a box of toys out then within minutes he's just using them as missiles.
I'm tired. He's tired. I've no idea how to improve things. I work 4 days a week and I'm exhausted trying to stay awake. I adore him, and he can be a lovely, cuddly, affectionate little boy but for the majority of the time I just find parenting him nothing but hard work. Is it okay to feel like this?
Sorry its so long.