Ugh. My 3 year old has been extremely disrespectful, demanding, yelling a lot, and overall hard to be around lately. Not to mention, she was up SIX times in the span of two hours last night. Really feeling like I need some space from her right now! Anyone else wants to air their 3 year old parenting struggles?
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Me! My almost 4 year old (in march) has been so direspectful, yelling, disobeying, running around the house, breaking rules this past few weeks. Time outs are not working right now.
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Our 3 year old was up 5 times last night!! What in the world??
As far as other behaviors, they are totally just testing boundaries, and exploring all of their new cognitive skills (like reasoning, arguing, and seeing reactions to yelling) ... 2 was really, really hard for us, so maybe she's just totally worn us down (we joke that she feeds on our souls). Like most stages, try to find comfort in knowing it's just a phase. Also, comfort in wine. That always helps.
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Mine is 5 now, but 3 was absolutely the worst!
They're old enough at 3 to understand things (or they appear to be!) but they're just so emotional!!!
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I'm losing my mind with my 3.5 yo. I hate how much I yell. She knows exactly which buttons to push for me and for DH-like she will refuse to hug or kiss him because she knows it upsets him, but never pulls that with me because I don't care. I take comfort that all my friends with 3 ups are having the same struggles but I don't know how I'm going to make it through this phase.
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@Foodnerd81: The hug and kiss thing made me laugh out loud.
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3. Is. Brutal.
My guy is 4 now and it's better. But we struggled! We set some very firm rules, made sure to follow through... and DH and I took turns managing the crazy threenager to help keep ourselves sane.
I found special day dates alone (just lo and me) helped reset things sometimes!
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Ughhhhhhhhh this is my least favorite age so far. DD is so sassy and tantrummy. She talks back and screams for any/ no reason and it's hard not to lose my temper with her. I feel extra terrible for being grumpy since she has a new sister and newborns are my fave. Argh. At least she is always, always sweet to the baby.
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She just told me that I hurt her feelings when I didn't like her... man, my fuse has been so short with her. It breaks my heart to think She has times when she thinks I don't like her. Seriously though, just being near her can be so hard sometimes! I feel bad for not being able to keep it together.
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I don't have a 3yo anymore but just wanted to say that was by far the hardest year with my daughter! she just turned 5 and was a lot easier by 4, so much less drama. hang in there!
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I've been having some serious difficulties with my 3.5 year old the past few weeks. It totally doesn't help being 34 weeks pregnant. She's so incredibly mean to her sister sometimes, fighting over everything, pinching, scratching, pushing. She's incredibly possessive over some toys ( I've hidden the ones that seem to be the main issues and that's resolved a ton of conflict.) she's up early, won't nap. I've been seriously struggling. The past 2 days have been much better, but I'm not expecting it to last.
I feel you pain, try and take some time for yourself to get away. -
@JennyD: 4 is another kind of parenting hell. It's 3 continued.
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Ugh. Yes! My son is so strong willed. His newest thing is hitting and laughing about it. He gets put in his room every time but he still does it. I keep telling myself to just be consistent, don't get too mad, be the adult. But damn that kid makes me want to drink. And I'm pregnant so I can't. Haha!
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I don't want to jinx anything but we seem to be coming out of the other side of this stage.... But it got really, really bad. Spitting, hitting, deliberately wetting her pants, running off when it's time to get dressed, screaming with temper - it was terrible. Now (3yrs 6 months) we are still getting moodiness, refusing to eat, silliness but it's less often and it seems to be less deliberate. I actually like her most of the time at the moment!
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Gosh this thread is reassuring and comforting. The angry screams push my buttons like nothing else.
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@Cherrybee: well based on what I know about E, it's about time things got easier! I hope that continues for you!
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@Cherrybee: Mine is 3 years 4 months and we just came out of an awful patch too. I have a feeling it just sort of comes in waves.
I always heard of the "terrible twos" but 2 was pretty fine. Three has been such a struggle! Throwing things, jumping on the couch, screaming, tantrums about EVERYTHING, hitting her brother, waking during the night, and having accidents.
The accidents have been the most frustrating part. She's been potty trained over a year! All of a sudden a couple months ago she started peeing in her underwear because she would forget to stop playing and go to the bathroom. I had to start setting a timer again like when she was first potty training. Ugh!
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@MrsB2012: my DD has been waking up at 530 and sees that DH is eating his breakfast in the kitchen and wants to stay awake. It's such a struggle that we've started a sticker chart and she gets a sticker for merely staying in her bed after I put her back the first time. I didn't even bother trying to tell her not to come out at all. It's helped a bit, but she's not as motivated by it as I hoped. But at least she will stay in her bed for over an hour instead of ten minutes like before.
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@cascademom: aww really?? 4 was like magic for us! All of a sudden she was this sweet, rational little person!
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I think the question should really be, anyone NOT having a hard time with their 3-year-old, lol? Solidarity.
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@Trailmix: lol you're right! It makes me feel better to know that I'm not raising a horrible bratty tyrant. It's just normal!
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@JennyD: Our 4 year old hasn't quite caught on to the sweetness train completely. He's still bargaining quite a bit, staying up too late (for some reason), and not quite into that calm routine yet. Bedtime is the worst time for him. It's still a struggle a year later. He's fun and funny, but also very trying at boundaries.
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@Mrs. Sunshine: this makes me feel better too. Logically I know it's the age, but it sure feels like it's me just doing everything wrong and that's why she's a terror. For me, the pushing her baby sister is the hardest thing to deal with- but my friends kid punched her best friend in the face, so I guess it's all of them.
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Almost 3 year old. Lately he keeps hurting his baby sister.
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Omg, yes. DD will be 4 in April and she's gotten much worse lately. Her new favorite thing is refusing to go into time out so that I pick her up and take her to the corner or her room and then laughing hysterically.
I feel for all of you, but am so so glad that it's not just me. A lot of days I feel like I'm raising Regina George.
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Just got through a 45 minute ordeal. And now that's she's napping I feel like I still can't get anything done because I need to recover. Ugh. She was scream-crying at me so I had to leave the room, which in turn made her scream more but I was starting to lose it.
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@Orchid: oh I know the anger screams. My 3.5year old thinks everything is "unfair". He also is super stubborn about going poop on the potty. He waits for his night-time pull up, which I think is a total control issue. Last night was tough at bedtime. He got up a few times to use the bathroom and even came into our room in the middle of the night! I was so psyched that my 7 month old slept through the night only to have my 3 yo up! And oh the bargaining! Luckily he's still super sweet towards his brother... at least for now!
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@Trailmix: My thoughts exactly.
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@Mrs. Sunshine: Yes yes! My son has been naughty. Starting to mock what I say, sticking tongue out and not listening. Its tough
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I solo at night and ugh. It is difficult to tell if she is doing something awful on purpose to push my buttons. I try to take a break if she is really getting me.
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@Greentea: I generally need a break when she is screaming at me or my tempers just continue to rise. But leaving the room only escalates her screaming and it usually makes her a raging mix of sad and angry. Le sigh.
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