Hi everyone!
I have a 5yo boy (and a 3yo daughter) who is really hard to handle :( Loving child, loves to hug me and cuddle with me, bright and caring, we are very close, but he does not want to follow any directions (except in kindergarten). Everything is a struggle. He ignores what others are telling him and just does what he feels like doing. It is really hard to teach him anything with that kind of mentality. We were visiting friends yesterday and I had to watch him like a hawk, as he always wants to play destructive or messy way. Going under inflatable castle, shaking it, spilling water where he shouldn't, spilling juice in fruit bowls, putting sand out of sandbox, mixing it with water on tables, pulling out flowers, running like crazy - he acts like a 1yo and he seems wilder when somewhere out of home. When I want to teach him how to play football, ride bike, swim..., he won't do as told and shown (nicley) but plays his way. If he is interested in something, he will learn and memorise a lot, but when something is not as interesting or is hard to learn, he won't even try. It is a struggle to get him to dress, put on his shoes, clean after himself, eat his meals. He doesnt anwser questions and can get quite rude.
How can I get him to stop oposing instructions as much? I feel like we are hitting a brick wall.