DS is 3.4, DC2 due in September. All kinds of stresses at work / home at the moment mean my temper is frayed and I keep loosing it.
DS is being particularly difficult. Nursery have issues almost every day. I am struggling and often failing to keep my cool. I'm ashamed to say I've smacked a couple of times (never hard, barely a tap. Absolutely not on though).
My issue is that I know when I feel my temper rising I can walk away, take some deep breaths, and deal with the situation much more effectively. But what do I do when I can't safely do that? For example, tonight DS lashed out at our dog. Absolutely no reason or warning, DS just started yelling, grabbed the poor dog by the tail and pulled him across the floor. Obviously I HAD to intervene straight away, I couldn't leave them alone so I had to prise DS off the dog and hold him away. The whole time DS was screaming, slapping, scratching at me and I lost it and shouted at him. DS became hysterical, the dogs were terrified. I had my husband to take over so I could get the dogs out.
I feel like things are out of control, what do I do? Every morning I swear to myself I'll keep calm and every day I lose it.