I’m struggling so much. I love my son to pieces, he is a lovely boy who is very sweet and kind and caring but he is very challenging most of the time.
His temper tantrums are always violent, hitting me and kicking me, throwing objects at me, banging on doors and walls. He will have a temper tantrum if he falls or hurts himself or if he doesn’t get his own way. I’m tried the naughty step, I’ve explained it’s to help him calm down. I’m consistently firm with hitting. I’ve bought books about how to not use our hands to hit. I’ve bought every guide on parenting about it, I’m consistent but he has been hitting since he was one years old. I’m so tired of it and drained, the hitting has only gotten worse as he has become older and stronger. Recently I’ve had bruises from him and a bloody lip.
I’ve read that it can be down to frustration with speech but his speech is really improved and he can explain his feelings ect.
He keeps on trashing his room during these meltdowns (throws everything out of his cupboards and toys and books on the floor) and refuses to clean up after, this week I’ve moved his toys out of his room because of how many times he has trashed his room. He got upset in the bath today because I asked him not to pour water on the bathroom floor, his response was to soak the whole floor in water from the bath by splashing it out. I take him out the bath and by this time he is angry, hitting me and kicking me and I put him in his room to calm down and he just explodes even more. I left him to calm down but noticed my hands were shaking and i had tears on my face.
He has been like this for so long and I think mentally it’s got to me, I feel broken down. I’m just at my wits end. I do so much with him, lots of activities, lots of outdoor play, playgroups ect. He is due to start nursery soon and I’m worried he will act the same way at home. I’m going to bed at night dreading the next day. I’ve never suffered with such bad anxiety as I do since I’ve had him.
Does anyone have any advise? Any similar situations they have dealt with? If so what has helped?