Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah, that's better.
I'm coming to the end of my tether with the current situation with my little boy...actually, I reached the end of my tether a long time ago and am now DESPERASTE for a solution.
The main problem is that my 3 yr old son has been repeatedly biting other children at nursery. He's been at the nursery 5 afternoons a week (2 and a half hour sessions) since October, and the biting has been going on for a few months now. It seems that as soon as he gets frustrated, doesn't get his own way, wants someone else's toy etc he bites them really hard, often hard enough to bruise them. This is happening 2 or 3 times a week, sometimes more. We have had meetings with the nursery staff and manager about what we can do about the situation. They're supportive but are beginning to worry about the effect this is having on the other children at the nursery.
So far they have tried talking it through with him, then switched tack to removing him from the situation immediately (ie. he has to come in from the playground and sit in the quiet corner). We have tried to work with the nursery so that we are all using the same strategies with him, but nothing has worked so far.
He is also completely unable to share / take turns with other children, despite huge attempts by me and his dad and the nursery to start gently introducing these concepts to him. He's only 3, fair enough - I'm not expecting miracles - but the problem is, when he doesn't want to share or take turns at nursery, he becomes violent towards other children (and sometimes staff) and throws a tantrum if challenged even gently.
In short, he is completely disruptive at nursery and despite the patience and support of the nursery staff, it is becoming worse not better. I am really worried about my son, and dread collecting him each day to be told once again that he has bitten another child or that he had to be brought inside because of his behaviour.
At home he is a very bright, energetic child - constantly on the go physically and mentally. He has a very sweet, chatty little nature, but the second something doesn;t go his way he completely freaks out and throws a mammoth violent tantrum. Ignoring doesn't work (he will cry and tantrum for hours until he is sick). Time out works about a quarter of the time. Firm discipline - taking away privileges, removing him from the situation etc - only sometimes works and even then it is never a deterrent to him next time. It's hard to exoplain the level huis behaviour escalates to sometimes. Soem people reading this will say 'he sound slike a normal 3 yr old to me', but if that's the case, why have we never met another child who behaves liek this so much of the time?
Sorry to waffle on. Loads more I could add, but for now will just sit back and see if anyone out there can help!