DD went into the preschool class of her nursery at the beginning of September. So far she has bitten and hit her way through each week. She has been at the nursery since she was 9months old when I went back to work so she knows the children in the room with her. She has had no problems sharing and and waiting her turn for toys all this time and now its like the world is ended if she has to wait and share. Her bad behavior is starting to creep in at home too. Throwing the biggest fits over nothing at all and not getting her own way. We haven't spoilt her by giving in to her and I just don't know what to do. We have tried reward jars and it worked for a short time. We have stopped giving her sweets and told family who look after her she can't have any either. I really don't know what else to try. Time out doesn't work she just wanders off. I've tried putting her in her room but she just ends up playing with her toys. She gives us hugs and empty apologies when she calms down and I know she is just saying sorry because that's what we have taught her to say. She has even stopped saying please and thank you unless prompted and regularly starts a sentence with I want. That's not what she has been taught by us so why the hell has she started behaving like this now?
Nursery say its because there are more children in the class now and she doesn't get as much attention but I'm not convinced that's the whole reason. She gets plenty of attention at home with us and she still behaves that way. You can see the aggression in her face when she loses her temper and tries to hit you.
Does anyone else have any ideas what I can try next. I'm fast coming to the end of my rope and can no longer keep calm when she acts out. I really don't want to start smacking her as I don't think that will help when she is hitting others already, just reinforce her behaviour but I really don't know what else I can do.