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Original poster

How to deal with 3yr old boys....any advice?

66 replies

Chipstick · 21/01/2007 19:03

My dd now 6 was such a lovely toddler/pre-schooler. My days off work were such a pleasure-we sailed through the terrible twos, never a on-the-shop-floor tantrum it was great. Then, along came her brother!

He will be 3 in a few weeks, and I have to say that at the moment I don't really like being a mummy. This has been a terrible weekend-especially whilst visiting other peoples houses.

He's shouted constantly, thrown things, hit his sister. At one house he found a bottle of tippex and covered himself in it. At the next house, he discovered the litter tray and picked up a couple of handfuls of litter (not pooh thank god!) and put it in my relatives flower vase. I've got to the point where I'm refusing invites to peoples houses because I can't face taking him there.

If I tell him off he laughs, sent him to his room this afternoon which helped me calm down more than him but if I'm out with him I obviously can't do that.

Being from an all girl family, I'm not used to boys, one minute he is so cuddly and kind the next a monster.

x

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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fortyplus · 21/01/2007 20:05

Califrau - I'm brilliant at sorting out other people's children - will come to stay for a small fee

ssd · 21/01/2007 20:08

we have 2 boys aged nearly 6 and 9.

and God they just never stop, its relentless!!

I was going to start a thread tonight asking for advice on buying indestructible lamps, my 2 play football in the living room and all my lamps are knackered as a result, but I thought poeple on here wouldn't believe me!

my 2 have been swimming, ice skating and playing footie for 2 hours today and they are almost impossible to get to sleep - why? I don't know we're both knackered!!

Overrun · 21/01/2007 20:10

this thread is creating a rueful smile on my face , sometimes you can exercise them until you are fit to drop and they are still doing tigger impressions

ssd · 21/01/2007 20:13

yes, I always drop first

my brother has 2 girls and says he can't believe the energy wee boys have

colditz · 21/01/2007 20:15

I Believe You SSD, I Believe You.

fortyplus · 21/01/2007 20:20

Definitely get them to join the local Rugby club at the earliest opportunity - uses far mor energy than footie and they like the physical aspect

ssd · 21/01/2007 20:25

colditz

you been there too?!?

colditz · 21/01/2007 20:32

I am just wondering how I am going to paint over nail varnish, wax crayon, etc

Overrun · 21/01/2007 20:59

dts finally managed to break the video today, needless to say it was on dh's watch not mine We have a dvd player, but its a shame, its probably not worth getting it repaired, as it is such a old thing, but then its hard to buy video players now isn't it?

Original poster
Chipstick · 21/01/2007 21:23

Omg SSD 6 & 9 and still like that - I'd read so many replies saying got to 4 and so much better I was quite relieved to think in a years time life would be dramatically different but from your reply obviously not and wishful thinking on my part.

Think I need to toughen up to the elements and get to the park even if blowing a gale and cold. My dd loves nothing more than snuggling on the settee with a dvd - think those saturday afternoons may be a thing of the pass.

Thanks for sharing your experiences
XX

OP posts:
Overrun · 21/01/2007 21:24

Chipstick, I know what you mean, I have to force myself to go out in all weathers. They don't care, just invest in some good waterproofs for him and yourself

twoisenoughmum · 21/01/2007 22:14

Chipstick - I have a DD of 6 and a DS of 3, I know what you mean about the difference! Luckily, my DD plays a lot with DS when she's here and I often hear her telling him off with all my over-used phrases, threats and bribes LOL! I make him walk everywhere, take him to the park as much as I can and stop whatever I'm doing and give him a huge hug and cuddle whenever he wants one (about every 10 mins on average) and just try and remind myself how gorgeous it is to have unlimited love and affection on tap from the person I love most in the world apart from his sister ... helps me get through the tough bits .

sonsieface · 21/01/2007 23:37

I think with first children we have much more energy, time etc to reason and distract?

I don't know whether to feel heartened that I am, at least not alone, can really relate to the amzing, destructive powers of a tornado toddler, BUt i keep saying to myself he will soon be 3 and then he will be much more easy to reason with etc

Do i have to get ready for at least another year?

My ds is 2.9 and so utterly unmanageable out of the buggy, mostly, I do keep trying to get him to walk, the thing is my buggy is 5 yrs old and I keep thinking it is going to fall apart, we recently replaced the wheels and they are worn away again.

I don't drive and can't face the thought of buying another pram, def not a member of pramoholics, should i be looking for a stronger one to last another year?

ssd · 22/01/2007 07:24

chipstick, don't be disheartened!

although my 2 do have more energy than ever, it does get a lot easier in lots of aspects.

taking them to things is much easier, entertaining themselves and playing with each other gets better and better. my 2 are real play mates although they still throw the odd insult/punch!!

boys are knackering but brilliant!!

throckenholt · 22/01/2007 07:39

more feeling of solidarity here - I have 3 boys (5.5 and 4 year old twins) - and they are currently driving both DH and I nuts when they are at home together. If you leave them alone for more than a minute they are either trashing the house or jumping on each others head - they are in the process of trying to knock each others teeth out (or at least that is the result - first time we rushed to A&E, now we just shrug, mop them up and send them off to "play" again).

One thing I find with mine - exercise does help - BUT when they are tired they are even more manic - the tricky bit is getting them into bed when they are tired but not overtired !

Fillyjonk · 22/01/2007 08:04

omg all this is soooo true...so horribly true

I am so fecking fecking fecking FED UP with the bloody park (overrun I dunno where you are but if you are anywhere near Roath Park I am the frazzled looking woman who is ALWAYS THERE.

And soft play.

And fecking Jump

and I am seeing NO evidence of girls being any better. dd is just the same.

Overrun · 22/01/2007 12:01

Filly, its so funny that you know all the places I go. We go to Roath, but I find it particularly hard work with the three of them, as it gets so busy. Sometimes go to Heath instead.
Also Roath soft play, Ants inya pants on Newport rd, Jump is way too expensive for me lol Also go to Llanishen leisure centre soft play as well

JoshandJamie · 22/01/2007 12:29

My eldest turns 3 next month and he's never been easy but OMG he has become impossible recently. He beats the crap out of his younger brother (16months) and I find myself saying: GET OFF YOUR BROTHER! about a million times a day.

I am permanently exhausted. The only good thing about it is that I don't really need a gym membership and I can eat pretty much what I like and still manage to keep most of the weight off because I never get to sit still.

Fillyjonk · 22/01/2007 13:21

oh god roath soft play is HELL i hate it

jump is quite cheap for us, cos dd is very small (they only chrage for over 1s..)

Sheraz · 22/01/2007 13:27

Hijack - but have you Cardiff girls ben to runarounds? was trying ot find it and ended up in Ants in your pants which was horrible. Kept seeing Runaround sign on the Ford garage but was driving around in circles?

speedymama · 22/01/2007 13:33

My friend is pregnant and desperately wants a girl - she does not think she can cope with a boy.

My DTS are nearly 3yo and I just wear them out as much as I can. They need to burn off energy so I take them to the park or play running games with them in the garden. If it is raining, I take them for a walk in an indoor shopping centre or wrap them up warmly for a bracing walk outside or just stay indoors but play games and read lots and lots of books.

Marslady, my DTS have started the "why?" and "what's that" in stereo!

KATGOD · 22/01/2007 16:09

LOL at Colditz's post re repeating the same thing over and over. Agree re fresh air. Tried to take DS to "Diddidance" class on Friday - lots of his pals go there. After 15 minutes we was whingeing it was too loud and he didn't like the lady. It was a free taster session so we left. And went to the swings where he ran around chasing the pidgeons and hit trees with a stick and made me run up and down the steps to his pretend pirate ship. It was blowing a gale and noone else in the playground but he had a lovely time. Cheaper than Diddidance too.
And also less pink. The whole "princess" thing worries me, I hope can keep DD away from that. Hope she likes chasing pidgeons when she's nearly three....

Califrau · 22/01/2007 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mercy · 22/01/2007 17:29

Another one with a dd of nearly 6 and a ds of 3!

So glad I found this thread - and very much agree with the first line of sonsieface's post.

dd is also full of energy, but ds can be quite aggressive at times - throwing, biting, just generally hurling himself around. Not helped by the fact that his vocabulary and level of comprehension is somewhat less than dd's at the same age.

He's also far less independent than dd was; is this also more typical of boys?

ejt1764 · 22/01/2007 19:22

As another Cardiffian (well, Penarthian, but, hey, who cares?), there's also soft play at Penarth leisure on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 - 3 .... that's pretty good!

Went to Alphabet Zoo on Penarth Rd last week for a party - hated it, hated it!!

ejt