At our wits ends

[Melo]

For about a month before DD arrived, DS has been throwing the BIGGEST tantrums and now that DD is here they are getting worse.

At night his not wanting to go to bed and if we put him in his cot he climbs out straight away (We have a bed on order, it should be here in a few weeks). So last night we decided to put his mattress on the floor but it didnt work. So eventually we moved it out into the lounge room and left the TV on for him, he fell asleep straight away.. I then heard him at 2:30am PLAYING!! He then come in and out into our room numerous times until 5am when he decided to chuck a tantrum and scream down the house (I honestly think the neighbours think we are trying to kill him). Whilst have a tantrum though, he screams, squeals, crys (no tears) and throws him self around. This morning he head butted Matts knee and nearly knocked him self out.

So for the past week he has been a bit off colour and we took him to the doctor on Monday and came to the conclusion that his tonsils are a bit red and swollen. So maybe this is why hes been so horrible for the past week?

Matt and I are both at our wits ends and dont know what to do any more.. This morning I had to take DD to get weighed at the CHN so I dropped DS off with Mum, he was with her for not even half an hour and she had to come down and find me because she couldnt handle him. He punched, scratched and pulled her hair and had worked him self up that much. As soon as he seen me he was fine!

Everyday I ensure that we have our one on one time, doing something that I know he enjoys. He has play time outside and inside.

What can we do? Any advice? Is this going to go on forever? :gloomy: :gloomy:

[LittleBoysRock]

Hey Mel,

I dont really have any suggestions but I can sympathise. Owen is doing the same thing atm. He is right into chucking tantrums and I am not too happy about it.

Everybody keeps assuring me that it's just a stage. Mostly I just ignore him when he is throwing a tantrum otherwise if he thinks he has our attention he loves it.

Jacob may just be feeling off if he is sick this week. I hope so anyway!

Goodluck! :hugs:

[our little treasures]

My son is just 1mnth older than yours and although he has calmed down his hitting he does get into a fair bit of trouble.

I have had to put him in his sisters room and shut the door. He isn't into hitting although he sometimes plays a game of hitting us and run off come back hit and run off laughing. Totally unacceptable I put him in the room. He doesn't like it Yesterday was our first attempt as he kept pulling everything I cleaned and putting it everywhere and running off laughing. I picked him up and popped him in there he cryed for about 4mns and I got him and showed him again what he was doing!! He hsn't touched the dvds again!!

DD was never like him if I looked at her she stopped now I just have to get him to do the same!!

[Melo]

Thanks for your replies :)

I'm hoping its just a stage and that it doesnt last too long because its so frustrating!

[our little treasures]

Yes it is!!

[sarahs]

Boy do I sympathise!!!

I think the thing to remember is (and boy is it hard to sometimes!) that until very recently he did not have to share mum and dad with anyone and now there is (in his eyes) an intruder in the house! Kids are much smarter than we give them credit for and I would say he picked up before his little sister was born that there were big changes afoot (perhaps the cot went up or he heard you talking). Now he is doing his damnedest to make sure you haven't forgotten he's there. Who knows what goes on in their little heads??? To his mind it was probably unfair that you took the baby with you and left him with Grandma. And he is too little to understand why it is necessary for you to give so much attention to the baby.

What to do??? I'm not entirely sure. Stickers for good behaviour? Some one-on-one time with mum (where dad minds bub) and vice versa? Giving him special jobs to do (like passing the nappy)?

[sarahs]

PS

For us DS1's behaviour improved heaps when DS2 was about 8 weeks old.

[Trumpet]

My DS was exactly the same and still is a little bit - his habit was head butting the floor and chucking tantrums but I have now started ignoring it. He also has figured out that when DD cries she gets attention and so he tries and does the same, so now we are focusing on getting him to help & be involved with his sissy as much as possible and also give him extra praise and attentiong when he is beng good.