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Right. Ds's behavior is off the wall. I need help.

32 replies

colditz · 07/07/2006 22:31

I went to the playschhol picnic, and ds and I sat next to a little girl who had a fruit shoot, a Lunchable and a packet of Haribo for her lunch. Out of Mumsnet research, I watched this girl's behavior for the afternoon. It was impeccable.

Meanwhile, my son, of the same age, stuffed a cheese sandwich on brown, (made with butter, not marg), a chopped up apple, some breadsticks, and a chocolate biscuit.

He then teararsed around, pushing, squealing, shouting, jumping queues, rolling about when he should have been sitting down, throwing a massive tantrum, and generally giving every parent present a reason to let their children subsist on crappy food.

What am I doing wrong here? I have made a determined decision - ds is getting no more chocolate, no squash, nothing made of oranges, no sweets ever (which he hasn't had anyway), no cake that isn't homemade - what have I missed? Is there anything else I can cut out of his diet without consulting a dietitian?

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colditz · 07/07/2006 22:33

PS - I do discipline!!!!

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sugarfree · 07/07/2006 22:36

I bet he wasn't nearly as bad as all that,you just noticed because you are a good mum and it's your job to be hypercritical of your own.
Were you perhaps extra sensitive in case there was a MN spy lurking behind a tree with a note book?

sugarfree · 07/07/2006 22:37

PS>I don't see any threads about "awful child and uncaring mum at picnic today!" so I think you are safe.

fullmoonfiend · 07/07/2006 22:40

How old is he? Sometimes, you know, it's not as simple as food colourings. Is he very sensitive to sugar?
When my ds was very little, we cut out all processed stuff/ colourings etc. It made No dicernible difference. It took 2 years of dedicated positive parenting techniques before we saw a big difference, (and he will always have a bad temper, I fear)
Maybe he just has a 'big' personality which is very noticible in a little person, but will even out as he gets older, learns a little self-discipline and grows into his personality.

Scumbelina · 07/07/2006 22:45

Not all difficult behaviour is food related, hon. That's a mumsnet myth, imo. How old is your boy?

JanH · 07/07/2006 22:45

Maybe he is just a teararse, colditz - diet can't change everything - not much comfort! DS1 was very much like that, has a huge personality (!) and I used to cringe a lot in public situations; he is quite respectable now though (nearly 18) but got into trouble a lot in school. Some kids are just like that I'm afraid.

(At the Y13 leavers' ball he was given a prize for "always being himself" - tis true, there is no artifice about him at all - yours may well be the same. It's not all bad news, honest )

colditz · 07/07/2006 22:46

No, I knew there was nobody there from mumsnet cos I live in the sticks. Ds had the most outrageously healthy lunchbox there

He really was the worst behaved

Even the playschool leader was getting exasperated with him because it is as if he has St. Vitus' Dance. The only time he isn't in perpetual motion is when he is asleep. He is permanently touching everything! I have never seen anything like it. If he isn't picking, twiddling, turning, unscrewing or dismantling, he is rolling on the floor, jumping up and down, climbing me, or simply running round as far as he can go while still attached to reins.

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colditz · 07/07/2006 22:47

He is 3.

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colditz · 07/07/2006 22:48

I know it could be not food.

If that turns out to be the case I shall resign myself and buy a giant gerbil wheel.

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JanH · 07/07/2006 22:49

How about connecting the wheel to an electricity generator?

Lact8 · 07/07/2006 22:49

Colditz, I'm going through exactly the same with DS2, 2.4, trying to see what it is that sets him off. Squash is one of the main culprits, white chocolate also, but even with those cut out of his diet he is full on all of the time.

I'm liking fullmoonfiends description of a big personality in a little person as everyone always says 'There's a lot of DS2 isn't there?' (i think that's a polite way of saying your son runs wild )

colditz · 07/07/2006 22:51

Yes, total strangers give me pitying looks and say "Oh my, he's a busy little chap, isn't he!"

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Scumbelina · 07/07/2006 22:53

Lively is lovely though. And tiring. And normal for many 3 year olds.

JanH · 07/07/2006 22:53

My favourite description was "he's such a coughdrop!" No idea what it means mind you!

Scumbelina · 07/07/2006 22:54

Sounds like a compliment, janh? [doubtful emoticon]

JanH · 07/07/2006 22:55

Oh it was said with a fond smile, scummy - must be Lancashire

sugarfree · 07/07/2006 22:56

and you didn't want a prissy little boy who sits still,stays clean and tidy and recites useless facts did you?

I'll try to stop being flippant now because it must be really tiring,but all of my boys were like that to a degree.

Scumbelina · 07/07/2006 22:56

phew! I suppose cough drops are very useful but I'm not sure i see the resemblance to a lively kids.

Lact8 · 07/07/2006 23:00

LOL! We hear that one as well!

In under 2 minutes yesterday morning, he stripped himself off naked, escaped though the dog flap, climbed onto our decking and was trying to put the dog into our big paddling pool. Shudder to think what could've happened to him.

Nothing is childproof to him either. He has sussed out every lock and stairgate. Climbs up to get keys if they're put out of reach.

Are you finding he's calmed down at all from the changes you've made to his diet?

colditz · 07/07/2006 23:00

No. No, I didn't, but ds2 is 10 weeks old and already he moves a lot {tremble].....

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KristinaM · 07/07/2006 23:01

I have one of these kids Colditz. DS2 is 25 months old. Other mothers look at me pityingly and say stuff like

"How EVER do you get anythging done?"

"He's quite a livewire isnt he?"

"Does he sleep at night?"

Lact8 · 07/07/2006 23:04

Oh colditz don't, dd is the same. I remember specifically asking for one that didn't do very much when I was pg with her and she has been quicker than him at everything, apart from having teeth!

And she has a gleam in her eye

And already she won't back down if he tries to take a toy off him

Lact8 · 07/07/2006 23:06

lact8 also forgets gender of daughter, I meant her

KristinaM · 07/07/2006 23:09

you are me lact8. when I was preg with DS1 I prayed for a healthy child. When I was preg with DS2 I prayed for a healthy eating sleeping calm child

Lact8 · 07/07/2006 23:14

KristinaM ROFL

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