Dawn - posted on 07/17/2012 ( 5 moms have responded )
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My daughter is and has been pushing the limits since she turned 18 months old. Every time I think it's as bad as it can get, it gets worse. And every time I find a discipline technique that works, she finds a new way to be naughty.
Example: She asks me if she can play with her puzzles. I say, yes, as lomg as you put them away when you're done. She says okay. She plays. She asks me to help her. I do. When we'redone, she gets up and says now let's play something else. I remind her she needs to clean up one thing before she pulls out another. She says, "I don't want to!" i give her the mom eyes. She stomps her feet. I Remind her that she said she would when we began playing. She keeps stomping and saying no. I count to three. She says, "No, don't say 3," and starts freaking out. I take her to time out. She screams bloody murder. I take her to her room and tell her she can come out when she stops screaming. She stomps some more, screams some more, calls "Mommy" repeatedly. I don't give in. Sometimes it takes two minutes, but other times it takes 15 for her to stop. Sometimes she gets completely out of control where she can't stop sobbing and I hold her and try to soothe her until she calms down.
I could go on and on. If it's not picking up toys, it's "I don't want to go to school," "I don't want to take a bath," "I don't want to eat dinner," "Read me three books, not two," "Read me this book, not that," and on and on.
I've gone over this several times with her pediatrician. He's known her since she was born. He said she's trying to manipulate me and I have to be consistent and let her know who's boss. I feel I have done that. He told me it could take weeks (I last spoke to him on her birthday), but it's been two months now that I feel I've been very consistent. Sometimes it works and she stops at the mommy eyes. Other times, I have to count to three before she stops. Once in a while it's the two minute tantrum. But the days when it's the 15 minute tantrum and I hold her to calm her down are the days that really worry me. The past two days have been like that.
Does anyone else have a similar problem? I only have one friend whose son's Disposition and behavior is similar and she just gives in. My daughter is very intelligent. Her cognitive development is advanced beyond her physical development, so I believe sometimes she's just so frustrated that there are some things she can't do and that's why she throws these fits.
To be completely honest, she throws these fits when she can't get her shoes on, when her sticker loses its stickiness, when she gets the tiniest pinprick of a boo-boo, when I make her wash her hands... I just don't know if this is normal or if I need to seek out a child psychologist. What are your thoughts/experiences?
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