My just turned 4yo is going through a phase of lashing out - he will have sustained tantrums of up to half an hour where he will / kick / scratch me and I'm running out of ideas on how to help him. It mostly happens when he's tired but doesn't want to go to bed, or can't have that one more bedtime story .... He's always co-slept as a baby / toddler and now normally goes to sleep hugging me in his bed.
When he's lashing out I've tried giving him space but he then throws things / breaks things / strips the bed, if I try to hold him he'll fight against it. As a last option tonight I tried holding his feet and hands, telling him it's to keep him / me safe and letting go as soon as he stops kicking and then restarting if he hits / kicks again but it just doesn't feel right. Whatever we try I always talk to him about how he's feeling and that being angry is okay but we don't hurt people etc.
After a while he'll come out of it and go back to his usual huggy, loving, tactile self but the violent tantrums aren't good for either of us.
Any ideas folks???
TiA