My 2.5 year old daughter is beyond challenging, and I have no idea if I’m the cause or how to manage it.
She hates praise. If you praise her she shouts ‘no’ or hits you or runs away. She squirms if you try to cuddle her. She just can’t seem to deal with being good. If I tell her she’s good or beautiful or any nice words she just says no and then says ‘I’m a monster’
She is incredibly ahead speech wise. It’s in her report at nursery; and they have said she knows everything. So it’s not due to her inability to communicate.
She won’t let my husband do anything with her. Nothing- she tells him to go away and will literally slap, fight punch etc until he gives up.
She does the opposite of anything I ask and will do it with joy. She laughs if you tell her that’s not nice etc. I’ve tried ignoring bad behaviour but because she hates praise I struggle to know how to reward her.
Nursery staff say she’s very bright, good with her peers - plays well and nicely but they say she is ‘contrary’ which is them being polite probably.
My other children were not like this so I’m not sure how to manage the anti-positivity? Do I just keep trying?