5 year old - attitude central....suitable/effective discipline -HELP!

[muminthedesert]

My 5 year old son has just had massive tantrum..they are getting more frequent, he stomps his feet, slams his fists on the furniture and has just called me a big fat idiot and said he hates me because I asked him to eat his tea.....

I have put him in his room in time out and am now listening to the ensuing destruction and screaming upstairs....

So....ideas please - what would you do..

I am planning on calming down and then going to talk to him when he calms down. I will be confiscating his Football cards for at least 2 days. Trouble is he will be very apologetic and will say all the sorries etc but then tomorrow it will be the same all over again over something else...

I thought Time out was a deterrent but it does not seem to be having an effect on changing his temper and I don't know what to do as I really had to stop myself from resorting to smacking him tonight, the constant attitude is really wearing me down.

:-(

You are doing the right thing time out, he has to understand bad behavour has consequencies, he is trying to push the boundaries, hang on in there

Thanks, when we both calmed down I told him that his behaviour was totally unacceptable and that if it carried on and was repeated he would be spending alot of boring time on his own in his room rather than playing out with his friends. He apologised and seemed sorry.....just wish he could stop the explosion of temper if he doesn't get his own way...