Nearly 3 and very hot-headed!

[SophiePloeg]

Hi
Perhaps someone can advise me on this one...
My boy (youngest of 2) will be 3 in December and he is struggling with the world at the moment. He has a hotheaded temperament and goes from extreme happiness to extrame grumpiness. When he is not tired or cross he is an absolute angel, but when he's tired, hungry or confused all h*ll breaks loose.
Just this morning, for example, I promised him we'd go to Jo Jingles for a trial class. He's all excited and wants to go. But ever since we got up this moring he's been grumpy. He shouts and screams, says he wants one thing and the next minute he's changed his mind. He wanted a drink, then decided to trow it through the kitchen. He moved the sofa to another place in the living room (!) and purposefully picks things up and drops them on the floor. Anything to let me know he is not a happy bunny. Trouble is, I cannot make him happy it seems. Cuddles are a no, sleep is a no. I am not sure to take him to Jo Jingles as he'd probably walk out after 2 minutes.
He is obviously confused, angry, perhaps scared. He needs reassuring and a cuddle (and a bit more sleep perhaps) but in this state he won't have any of it. He's always been a hot-headed boy but its difficult to tell him that some things are plain naughty (throwing, hitting) while at the same time I know he's doing it because he is just very, very confused and needs reassuring.
Any advise??
Thanks!

My dd is like this often. She gets particularly tense and angry when she's coming down with a cold.
You're right he does need re-assuring. I think of it almost as re-setting. If dd is 'going off on one,' I get her a biscuit put her on my lap and put on something gentle I've recorded from CBeebies and hold her close.

He sounds like a typical 3 yr old to me, mine does this, he does it to get my attention, firstly i try to distract him, if that doesnt work i ignore him and carry on with what i am doing, he will keep doing it if he knows it gets your attention

Thanks both. I cannot ignore it as he'll start hitting his brother or throwing and breaking things. I am not sure its an attention seeking thing, in my case, but more a 'cry' for not being able to cope. It is difficult to tell him that he is naughty when he hits/throws but at the same time reassure him that everything is ok (and its not after he's just been naughty).
Sometimes he so tests my patience but when I shout back and put him on the naughty step he loses the plot even more....
sigh...