I've posted this in another section in desperation so sorry to repeat myself.
I'm after some advice with my 18 month old son!
He's a very strong willed little boy but, I'm struggling to find that will endearing at the moment.
He screeches all the time to show his dissatisfaction at anything, a real piercing screech that goes right through me 😵
Even me just making eye contact with him is enough to set him off. I will make a funny face at him or even say hi in a funny voice and it will invoke a really aggressive reaction from him whereas 2 months or so ago he would have given me a lovely smile and laughed.
He had a 45 minute screaming tantrum earlier and I have no idea what it was over. He didn't want me to pick him up and threw himself to the floor if I held my arms out yet he followed me everywhere making sure he was full on banshee squealing in my face. He was squawking so much that he was making him keck and was almost sick. I tried distraction, ignoring, telling off even holding really tight and shushing but nothing calmed him down until it just petered out.
This happens daily and there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to what upsets him.
He is getting really quite violent with hitting, biting and head butting with now throwing things directly at people added to his delightful antics. He came and threw his truck in my face earlier for no reason.
He finds being told off hilarious and will not listen to "No" no matter how sternly I say it. It seems to spur him on, especially when he likes to be cruel to the cat. He enjoys being told off and will chase her and hit her until I lose my temper. I won't tolerate him being mean to an animal but he just seems to know I can't physically stop him short of smacking him and making him cry which I don't want to do.
He's getting quite aggressive with his peers now too, pushing same ahwd children off ride ons or just going up to them and smacking them in the face.
I understand this can be normal but it is putting me off socialising with him and I feel on edge and can't relax. We have quite a nice group of about 5 kids around the same age that we have mum/kid dates with and I feel awful that my son seems to be bringing the dynamics down and I am worried we will stop being invited places cause no one wants their child hit, do they.
He goes to nursery two mornings a week and they don't seem to have any concerns with him apart from saying that he enjoys playing with older children, especially when the school aged kids join for holiday club. He is happiest when being indulged by 6/7 year olds.
He seems to have quite a severe dislike of me as of late and most of his anger and aggression is directed at me and will always seek out his dad for comfort, which is another thread on its own, but I'm trying to nor let my heart break from rejection show and give him the same love and affection but it's just met with violence!
I realise this post has run quite long now but I feel like I'm at the end of my rope and don't want our days together being an endless cycle of me telling him off.
Please, does any one have any advice?