Could my pnd be the cause of ds behaviour?

[melbournemum]

My normally placid 3 yr old ds is now lashing out at everyone and his behaviour is truly appalling at the moment. Any advice on how to get through pnd and still have happy children? I feel so upset that this has done this to him...

Please don't feel guilty. 3yo boys are not the easiest imo and this sounds normal to me. I didn't have pnd by this age btw! (had it briefly the first year) My advice is:

Make sure he has plenty of exercise, they're like dogs in that way ime, they need fresh air and to run around
Pick your battles, save your energy for the important ones (like crossing roads maybe), don't argue about small stuff, not worth it
Immediate swift action in our house for hitting/biting - the offender goes 'outside' in the hall for a minute. No attention. Be calm about it and he'll get the message
spend time with other parents if you can, social isolation is a contributory factor to pnd
I l;ike toddler taming by Christopher Green on the subject of small boys but it's not for everyone.

good luck.

oh FioFio thank you. you've made me all teary. I really do feel like its my fault and it means a lot to hear it just might not be. I thought it was meant to be terrible twos!!

thanks so much www for practical tips, its hard sometimes to stop and take a breath and be calm but you are so right. hallway is a great idea. we were using the laundry but he just uses the time to start the washing machine.

melbournemum, I have no practical tips to give you as I am very new to 3 year old boys but learning rapidly as DS is rapidly approaching that age. He completely shocked a friend who we stayed with last weekend who could not believe that he was capable of the behaviour he was displaying. We cut short our visit by a bit as he was so awful that we were completely knackered and he was ruining it for everyone else. I really really don't think that your pnd has anything to do with this.I am slightly worried that Fio thinks it takes until they leave home to grow out of it !

My 3 year old ds has hit the awkward stage too. I agree totally that they are very much like dogs - they need lots of running around outside, and very clear boundries on what is allowed and what isn't, and when they are being good you blow the bloody trumpets, and that is them sorted, usually.

try to slap a smile on your face, even if you don't feel like it, my ds1 roke my heart a few weeks ago when he pointed to a very grumpy face he had drawn and said "That's you, Mummy, because you have a grumpy face".

Now he also thinks I have 4 legs like the cat, but nevertheless it made me make an effort to be a bit more cheerful with him.