I'm embarrassed to post this, but here goes. My daughter is 4 years 8 months. She goes to nursery where she used to have issues socialising with the other children. Her behaviour at nursery has improved over the last year, but her behaviour at home over the last year has declined. She doesn't seem to care about being told off, having time out, having toys being taken away. It's almost as though underneath it all her shouting and screaming, she likes the bad attention. She hits me, pinches me, pushes and kicks me. She isn't afraid to scream in my face and quite frankly she thinks she is boss. I have tried positive reinforcement when she has been well behaved. If she has been good, I will let her have a small toy, or go for a day out, or do painting or whatever she chooses that day. But as it goes, the minute she has gotten what she wants she will turn and start being naughty again.
It doesnt seem to matter how I go about the issue of her aggression, it doesn't make a difference. I ask her why she feels the way she does and she just tells me "I want to do it" she even looks happy when she is hurting me. I don't know what to do next, she starts school in September and I'm worried. She goes to her dad's at the weekend and she isn't badly behaved with him. And my gran has her while I work and she is well behaved there too. I'm beginning to think she doesn't like me. She will stay awake shouting and screaming till midnight because she doesn't want to sleep and wake up at 5 or 6 demanding one thing or another. While at her dads, she is asleep by 8 and up at 7.
We could be having a lovely conversation, when she would hit me in the face or pinch me. She funds it funny. She finds me telling her off, funny. I don't know what to do anymore. I cry everyday when she is finally asleep. I'm exhausted.
If anybody has any helpful advice, I would appreciate it!