We’re going through a challenging phase with my DS who’ll be 4 next month. He’s constantly pushing boundaries, being deliberately disobedient (ie if I say ‘don’t do that bc danger/safety etc’ he will immediately do it). All of this is general 4yo stuff imo and I’m not that worried about it.
The main thing is that he’s winding me up. I’m totally prepared to be told I’m being wildly unreasonable but he makes these noises that just drive me up the wall. It’s constant tongue clicking, loud shouting, growling, lip smacking, mouth squelching. He’s not doing anything wrong (apart from the loud shouting when not appropriate) but it just really irritates me. I know it’s a me problem, and I’ve tried everything to stop getting wound up by it but it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. I’ve got history for this kind of thing - I had a massive lip smacking phobia in my teens and 20s that saw me get off trains early and move seats on planes. So I know I’m sensitive to noise.
I really don’t want to be a dick and get on to him constantly. I try not to ask him to stop unless I’m really feeling like I’m really not coping, but compounded with the general 4yo behavioural stuff, I feel like I’m getting on to him all the time and I feel like a shit mum because of it.
I remember reading something on here once that says ‘is it annoying or are you annoyed?’ And I’m definitely annoyed…. But maybe it is annoying to everyone? I don’t know. Feel a bit fragile about it tbh.
Anyone got any tips or words of wisdom?