Oh, C. I love you so much. You're my sweet, tender-hearted, caring, oh-so-serious boy. You take everything very literally and to heart. You are very smart, too smart for mommy and daddy's own good, I fear. But, why, oh WHY do you have to pitch such fits?
Four years old is proving tough for me. I've probably mentioned it before. It's worth mentioning again. C has taken to tantruming. A lot. Did I mention, a lot? Just this morning he burst into a fit of tears and screaming because he did not want to get out of bed. Wanted pancakes instead of eggs, and did not want to pull the chair up to the counter to "help" prepare breakfast. I'm usually a softie mom, but this morning, after having NO sleep because a certain four year old would not go to sleep, I was tired and cranky, and late. So, this time, I let him scream while I went ahead and made breakfast. His shreiks of "you hurt my feelings!" and "you're being mean to me!" broke my heart. I don't want to be harsh with him, but I have to teach him that you can't live your life throwing tantrums to get things.
We're really struggling with behavior right now, and I'm at a loss on what to do. The time outs don't seem to be working. We've tried losing priviledges or toys when he acts up, but that's not making a dent either. I'm considering trying a "behavior jar" and putting money or some other trinket in it and then taking one away when he acts up. Then, at the end of the week he can have a treat associated with whatever he has left. Hopefully, that will work.
We're also struggling with sleep, still. He doesn't fall asleep on his own. He doesn't stay in his bed. Many many many people say to let him cry it out. I did try that once, but it didn't go well. I suppose that I can try again, but am I going to scar him for life? That sounds so dramatic, but he's so tender-hearted. What to do??? We've tried rewards for falling asleep alone, but he just says he can't do it. The thing is, he CAN, he has done it when visiting my dad.
Right now I feel very lost as a mommy, like I'm not doing it right at all.
Slow Cooker Troubleshooting
1 year ago
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Sorry you're having a rough time. hugs.
ReplyDeleteSteph
Thanks, Steph! How is 4 for you?
ReplyDeleteMy little girl just turned 4, and her behavior has taken a turn for the worse. She pitched a fit in Wal-mart the other day, and the cashier just kept looking at her like...oh, you must be one of those "bad" kids. She told me she wasn't going to be my bestfriend anymore, she wasn't going to live with me anymore, and she wasn't even going to talk to me anymore as her eyes filled with tears. As soon as she started acting like that in Wal-mart, I stopped letting her do anything she wanted and it didn't immediately make it better, it made her more mad, but after I wouldn't let her help with the groceries and she didn't get a toy or a snack, and I wouldn't even talk to her until we got outside to the car. As soon as we got to the car I got her out of the buggy and very sternly talked to her about how that was not how we act, and when she does act like that she doesn't get anything she wants and it makes me very sad! She hasn't acting like that since, and she asks me..."Mommy, remember when I acted so bad at Wal-mart." Another thing, your son may be acting out because he is sleepy if his sleep routine isn't normal. My daughter always acts different(worse) when she is sleepy or hungry. Just some thoughts, from one mom to another...trisha
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