Struggling with my 3 year old!

[Mikethenight2good]

Morning all,

Any advice would be gratefully received. I am really struggling with my 3 year old.

Everything is a neogiation. Getting dressed,eating a meal, going to bed, going out anywhere! Everything! It is so draining. And I am losing patience with it all.

He is usually a lovely boy, but he can also can be quite bossy and demanding and will go on and on. I try not to give into it, and have learnt to ignore it. However sometimes the situation doesn't allow for this eg not holding my hand in the car park.

His attention span with a activity is about 10/15 mins eg painting, drawing etc so the TV tends to be on more than I would like. I get him to help me with chores eg tidy up after breakfast but I do think he is bored at home. We go out most days for a bit, but I also have a baby that needs my attention to. He goes to nursery for the 15 free hours too but I dread the days when I have him all day as everything is a battle.

Help pls! I have just lost it with him as he was shouting at me whilst playing a game. And now feel guilty......

I feel your pain! I also have a 3 year old boy and while he is a lovely boy, he is incredibly hard work!

Like yours, he is easily bored (he's at nursery full time which helps) so evenings/weekends we are constantly playing with him or we have to go out somewhere - it's exhausting sometimes.

He also seems to battle with everything - except eating because he loves food We try to make a game of things to avoid a full on tantrum but even that is hard work!

I'm hoping it's a phase he'll grow out of - it's a shame because he is lovely but such hard work!

I take my hat off to you having two - I only have DS and I have to be honest - I won't have another because he is such hard work that I don't think I could cope

He sounds like an absolutely typical three year old to me! Sorry, I can't think of any particular advice, but maybe it helps to know you're not alone?

I'm in the same boat. I find the best thing to make my day easier is inviting DDs friends round. When they have someone else to play with, they don't need constant entertaining. But only one friend at a time or else you become referee!

I think you need to stop negotiating so instead of 'please can you put your shoes on?' It's 'put your shoes on please'.

Give a choice of cereal but only out of two.
If you have the energy then you can make things into a game but sometimes I think they just need to learn that what the adult says goes. If they learn this early then it is far easier to lighten up later than to change the rules the other way.

We call them threenagers! Everything is a battle. I too, hope it gets better!

You're not alone. Sounds just like my LG too! We didn't really have the terrible twos but most definitely have a little threenager on our hands! I seem to count to 3 quite a lot! It also depends on her mood that day too as some days she's an absolute delight! We're just riding it out and hope this phase doesn't last too long.

What you're going through is a very common stage, but I think the most important thing you can to is to not let him control the situation due to his behavior. Of he's acting up and then you cave into his demands, you're creating a very bad pattern that will be near impossible to break. You're the mom, YOU set the rules, not him.