i cannot do "playful" parenting :-(

[SlightlyFoxed]

just need to vent really. i'm on my own with ds, who is 2.9, and it is just such relentless, hard grindingly dull work to be around him at the moment.

I find it hard, if not impossible, to make things like getting dressed etc into a game - it takes forever and we're always short of time, it seems.

today has been horrendous, he cries and whines the whole time, screams if he doesn't get his way. went out for a walk but he demanded to be picked up and cuddled the whole time, if I refused he sobbed miserably or screamed.

I know it's up to me to turn this around or make things better, but I don't have the energy for distraction and jolliness and games when I am simply knackered and feeling down and would simply like ds to co-operate once in a while. vicious circle I guess, my mood can't be helping ds any.

don't expect any easy answers but if anyone's been here and come through the other side, your encouragement would be very gratefully received!

two of my children were very similar to what you are describing. Looking back some of this was my fault but also - no-one every tells you this - some children are just really hard work and all you can do is persevere and wait for them to grow u p a bit. When my twins were 2 I went back to work 2 days a week and they went to nursery. I made hardly any money 'cos most of it went on childcare but I was a much better parent then when I was at home. Also - have you considered his behaviour may be made worse by something like e numbers? Sometimes a change of diet can really help.

to OP
he is tired
put him to bed earlier

thanks all. feeling much more positive today and we are having a nice pottering sort of morning.

btw, poo incident was poo on carpet which he wanted to clean up - ie smear into carpet with a tissue! bleurgh.

he is fine on the food front, eats very good balanced diet.

he is definitely not tired! he sleeps really well and has a daytime nap too. he's in bed by 7, if he went earlier he would be up earlier and then I would be even more screwed. some things I know I am getting right!