Anyone had a 3 year old horror? HELP!!

[Mooncupflowethover]

I am quite literally at my wits end. I feel like I cannot take another day of his appalling behaviour.

He hurts his one year old brother frequently, has monumental paddies over the daftest things, obsesses over gadgets (phones, remote's, camera's etc. He sleeps with a pedometer and a weightwatcher's points calculator. Seriously), ditto cables and anything with plugs. Steals, hides things, runs riot, bounces off the walls and gets a real kick out of negative reactions.

When he goes to bed at 7, DH and I slump on the couch like zombies, practically rendered mute by the onslaught that is our son!

He is a one child force, and I'm losing the will.

If anyone has had a child like this (and the stuff I've mentioned that he does, really is just the tip of the iceberg) how did you deal with them? Our parenting style changes monthly as nothing seems to work, particularly the naughty step/time out.

Any ideas very gratefully received.

bump..

Dd2 is a bit like this, minus the going to sleep at 7pm. She will not sleep. At all. Ever.

I find structure and continuity help. Having a set routine for the day and choosing one parenting style to sick to.

It's perfectly normal behaviour. He is just testing boundaries. It's a phase that will pass.

Oh oh how I sympathise, I was waiting for the magical 3 when suddenly my dd now 3.2 would go from a whiney toddler prone to throwing paddies over the littlest things (not bringing her milk to her fast enough, or telling her no, or that she must wait for things)to a well behaved grown up 3 year old who communicates properly like other 3 year olds ive seen. Here were are at 3.2 still doing the same things. I am worn out, I really am, today bless her she is not well and is sleeping most of the day so its quite, and i miss the noise wish taht she will get well soon.

Not got any practical advice sorry. But two books you could have a look at that may have some usefull advice are 'Unconditional Parenting' by Alfie Kohn and 'How to talk so kids will listen and how to listen so kids will talk' by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish.

Thanks all for your advice. Today has been slightly better...

I decided to devise an alternative to time out/naughty corner. When he misbehaved today (hit his cousin), I told him he must stay near me. I was in the kitchen washing up for half an hour and he had to stay in the kitchen with me all that time. He didn't have to stay on the spot (with all the stress that causes when he invariably gets off the mat numerous times to wind me up!) and he was free to rant and wander around but he wasn't allowed to leave my near vicinity. It worked pretty well as he soon got fed up and wanted to be with his cousins. I'm really hoping I'm onto something!

As for the rest..it's still a work in progress.

Piglet - I hope your DD is better soon.

Bumbums - I should really give those books a try.

Can I just add 'Sibling Rivalry' (also by Faber and Mazlish), as you mention you have a one-year-old.

Just read it and found it massively illuminating.

Thanks very much Mooncup, I do the naughty step, works when i have given her a good bolloking talking to, to sit back on it