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The terrible 2's!!!!!

Layla - posted on 11/07/2011 ( 2 moms have responded )

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My youngest son is going to be 3 just after Christmas. A year ago we got rid of his dummy and we lasted 2 months, he got ill and had a few nights when he couldn't get back to sleep plus his behaviour went downhill very fast. We found everything was becoming a battle........we went back to the dummy bit by bit during the time he was poorly and then it seemed it was back for good, his behaviour was dramatically better and he was more compliant to getting dressed in the mornings ect. Until 2 months ago, when he decided he was old enough to argue he's not little he's big, so I thought we'd give it a go again! It was fine for the 1st month but now he's a nightmare to get into bed it's a screaming fit EVERY single night, he wants to battle us against everything. Some days it feels like I don't get any joy from him. He won't listen or take in anything that you tell him is unacceptable behaviour, he is a law unto himself. The only thing that works is to put him on the floor in a corner and he gets to have his hissy fit, then after a couple of mins I go over and explain what he did wrong and ask him to say sorry (which he always does!), but I haven't always got the time or patience to do this and it ends up a battle of wills most of the time. I am so fed up of having battle after battle for every little thing, did anyone else go through this and if so how long did this stage last???
p.s My eldest son has always been good as gold, he's always been negotiated with and he was very good at negotiating from an early age. As long as he understood what the day plan was and he knew what to expect from his surroundings he was a happy chappy.

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2 Comments

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Trista - posted on 11/14/2011

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You have to stick to you guns on this. I know it's hard but you have to. My nephew was like this and today he's wrose then ever! He behaves most of the time with me but he walks all over his parents. My son is going through the same thing right now. I'm a no bs type of person. I well understand that kids will be kids but it's our jobs as parents to teach them right from wrong. If you don't stick with it it could become more then a phase it could become how he acts all the time. My oldest has always been a good boy too, but I won't have my boys acting like my nephew

Michelle - posted on 11/07/2011

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My first child was like you eldest son and my 2nd child was more like your second - I'm really praying my 3rd is more like my first lol. Anyway, unfortunately I think you are going to have to make the time and find the patience to let him get over his hissy fit else you may never solve this problem. If you eventually give in then he has won, so to speak, so he will do it again and again - that's kids for you. I'm sure, in your mind, or maybe under your breath you will say to yourself "why can't you be like your brother" and all sorts of things like that, and feel like tearing your hair out, but each child is different. My 2nd child was horrendous. She would scream, hollar, shout from the time we took her to bed at about 7pm until about 11pm and it went on for months - obviously keeping my eldest awake too. I was at my wits end. I ended up taking her to see a sleep therapist for the therapist to tell me what I already knew. But it took her to tell me that for me to calm down and try again. About a week after seeing her it all stopped. So, if your son only takes a couple of minutes to get over his hissy fit, then let him do it. Everything else can wait for those few minutes. You don't have to stand and watch him - you can just walk away. Count to 10 in your mind and keep counting to 10 to keep yourself calm. Maybe play some of your favourite music to calm you. You could even get ear plugs to drown out the sound of the hissy fit. YOU CAN DO IT - just have faith in yourself. Good luck.

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