3yo behaviour

[boysaremad]

We're currently camping (uk) with ds6 and ds3. It's looking like we're going to go home early due to ds3 terrible behaviour. I just don't know what we are doing wrong. He simply DOES NOT listen to anything we tell him/ask him to do. He runs away and wont stop, and is generally very difficult. We do all the usual poitive reinforcement and praise when he's good/ explain and give chances when he's not being good. But every punishment we try ( time-out step, natural consequences etc) is just water off a ducks back, he just doesn't care! He's a great kid, loving, caring, funny but his behaviour since he turned 2.5 is a real problem. Is this normal terrible 2s/ threenager stuff? Please can someone tell me this will end at some point because the tunnel is looking very long and dark from here...

I don't think it's necessarily what you're doing wrong but could it help to adjust what you're doing maybe?

I say this as I have a 2.8 year old and he is a fantastic boy but also quite wild. He just wants to run and run and gets so excited when we do things, he won't listen. At home, he's generally OK.

We only have 1 so it is easier but I plan our days so that where possible, he can roam free and tire himself out (ish!) but at that point, I then do what I need to do so he goes in a trolley etc. I just don't take him for a walk/to the beach or whatever and expect him to listen, it's much easier if we accept that he will run. And we run with him!

I know it's not always possible and I suspect it's much less so with an older child to also consider but just thought your son sounds similar to mine.

I am strict with safety though and reins and hand holding are insisted upon until we are in a safe environment - and he knows this and doesn't argue!