Reading the discipline thread made me want to finally post, though this has been an issue for awhile. My 2.5 year old is OBSESSED with doing everything himself. His shoes a certain way, closing every door or gate (or opening), doing the lights, garage door button, etc etc etc. I give him plenty of time to get ready in the AM but sometimes we slip up and turn on a light or close the refrigerator ourselves (lol, it's like a dictatorship).

Him not being the one to do it = epic meltdown, crying, "I'm to do it!!!" (which sounds very cute except for the screaming). At school they tell them "that's teacher work) and he's fine with it / a perfect angel. If I do one light switch he screams and hits.

I've tried the Janet Lansbury "i know you are mad because you didn't get to do it that time. Sometimes mommy gets to do too and that's ok". No improvement but that said occasionally we will be like "oh sorry, I'll put it back and you can do it now". So the tantrum is possibly him realizing I'm too flexible and he might get his way after all??

This literally makes every day such a struggle. It's so hard to take him anywhere or even play with him because every little thing is an issue or we do it wrong in his eyes.

Mrbee posted something in last thread about the problem being the intense desire for something and I get that but don't know how to make the doors and switches and buckles etc less of a big deal.

Help!