3 yr old ds just slapped me really hard

[UnlikelyAmazonian]

He and i are very close. He is great fun, very strong-willed, very loving...but he just slapped me so bloody hard and is now wailing AS I AM IGNORING HIM AFTER ASKING HIM TO SAY SORRY (AND EXPLAINING THAT IT'S WRONG TO HIT)

iS IT NORMAL????????? ooops sorry caps he is standing next to me.

Is it usual? Is he just testing his own physical strength at this age? Should I be worried? he is now hitting the wall.

he's figuring out cause and effect!

the problem with forced apologies is that they can refuse. and then you're kind of stuck.
or else they kjust figure that they can keep slapping you as long as they say sorry afterwards

I put him in bed and said no story as he had hit me and the dog. He has just come down and said a big sorry. I said I am sad and nobody should hit anybody and nobody should hit animals. I carried him back up and told him I loved him.
I love him so much. Any out of character behaviour like this makes me mourn for the father he has never had and worry that he will go all wrong and messed up as a teenager. He really is a smart and darling little boy. He must be very frustrated seeing all the other children at the nursery being picked up by two parents and in particular 'daddys' and seeing them shout 'DADDY!' when dad picks them up.

Bastard bastard exh

aww, i think it's something they all go through tbh!
a friend of mine can remember, aged about 4ish, throwing a pair of scissors at his mum when she was asleep!!! totally out of character, but he just wanted to see what would happen.

i bet your son has learned it was not a good idea

This is really really normal, please don't worry! And if you're feeling bad about your ex not being involved, at least placate yourself that it's not him teaching your DS to hit :(

From what I have seen you post about your XH he's better off out of your DS' life. You sound like you have a lovely relationship with your DS :) I'd be extremely proud that he's got to the age of 3 and this is the first major hitting incident you have had!

Thanx to you both.

You're right, he's probably testing me.

Bertie I know you have been through a whole load of crap too. It's a hard road.