I don't like my 3yr old

[endlessshame]

I've name changed for this as I'm so ashamed.

I have 3 yr old DS and a 1 yr old DD.

I am just having the worst time being kind to DS right now. I find his behaviour so hard to tolerate - even though I am sure he is actually quite a good boy. His constant whinging about being allowed a snack or watching a DVD winds me up no end (just for 2 examples). I have got down to his level, I have calmly explained, I have told him I will answer the whinging once and then if he keeps asking the same question he will get ignored etc. It just never ends though. Every morning I think that I will do better and be more patient that day and then within about 3 minutes of him getting up I am moaning at him for not watching where he is going and standing on his sister, not listening, snatching toys etc etc. I find it hard to bear the physical nature of him too - he's always bashing into me, standing on me, accidentally hurting me with stuff

It feels like I am just constantly getting wound up by him. And I know I'm the adult and I ought to do better. He has now started arguing black is white now. We were driving to pre-school the other day and he said "mummy this isn't the way to pre-school", so I reply "yes it is" and then he just keeps saying "no it isn't" over and over. And that sounds so daft now written down but it gets under my skin until I am biting my tongue not to shout at him to shut up. That's horrible isn't it.

I'm not depressed. Im not particularly sleep-deprived. I take him out to the woods to run about loads. This hasn't started since DD arrived, its just the past few months. We do stuff just the 2 of us - but its getting to the point now id rather he just spent time with DH as I have no patience.

I actually feel worse for having written all that

[Slapperati]

Shame on you Fighting, you should float through parenthood on a serene cloud of tender moments and nurturing bliss.

Of course we're allowed to admit there are aspects of parenting we don't like, it doesn't make us bad parents.

And I'm not wound up in the slightest, but thanks for asking, Marvellous.

[cory]

I found the age of 3 far, far harder than the teens or the terrible twos or pre-puberty or any other supposedly difficult age- and my eldest will be 18 next birthday, so I hope there aren't too many shocks to come.

[FightingOverImaginaryIcecream]

If I started drinking wine at around 6:30am I reckon I could manage 'tender moments and nurturing bliss' parenting most days. Unfortunately that seems a little frowned upon, for some unknown reason...