I'm not sure if i should be posting this in here or older children as Jake has just turned 3!!
Although I still think of him as a baby!!

I've been having a lot of problems with him lately, with him not doing as he's told, hitting his 5yr old brother, calling me a brat when he doesn't get his own way (I don't know where he's picked that word up but I hate it!) and others things that I can't remember right now!
Time out doesn't work anymore, he's just not bothered by it, he'll do his time and then 5 mins later he's doing the same thing again that he was just punished for! He knows when he does these things that he is being naughty and I know he's probably just testing the boundaries but I really don't know how to handle it. I shout at him loads and I hate it and I know I shouldn't do it but I just get to the end of tether and I don't know what else I can do. Shouting doesn't even work anyway he just laughs at me.

I've been through a lot in the past year so I'm not feeling great in myself either and maybe he's picking up on that, but I don't know how to hide it from him. I'm on a waiting list for counselling so there's not much more I can do about how I'm feeling at the moment.

I don't know what I'm asking of you all, I think I just needed to write it all down, thanks for reading x

Hi mumof2

My son is 2 and can be a bit of a menace, he has tantrums when he can't have his own way and calls me naughty and tells me to cry if I have p**sed him off (which isn't hard at the moment) and he has also started smacking people if we try to make him do something (usually having his nappy changed). Though Harrison doesn't seem to be as bad as Jake, I do have strict (ish) discipline and tbh he has never really pushed his boundaries. If he is doing something he shouldn't be (or is about to) I ask him nicely not to do it, if he ignores me I raise my voice and am quite harsh, but if he still continues I tell him 'mummy isn't going to ask again, you're being very naughty and if I have to come over there you are in big trouble' but I raise my voice more than previously. I do make sure that I have his attention every time though by saying his name until he looks at me. Once he has stopped or on the odd occassion I have to follow my threat through, I will bend down to his level and explain why his actions were naughty and not acceptable and make him apologise, and if he refuses I make sure he knows that he will lose a privalege if no apology is made, and 99% of the time he will apologise, but if he doesn't he loses a privalege that he loves like playing in the garden, or going out in the car.

I wouldn't be too hard on yourself hun, it's not easy when you feel down. I have suffered with PND since having Harrison, and have recently finished my councelling but I still have days were I can't cope and find it hard to implement discipline without getting annoyed, but I see it that if I do get angry Harrison has won, cos kids wind you up for a reaction.

Hope this helps
Sammi
xxx

My 2 yr old is the same, he is contantly testing the boundaries and 'time out' seems to work with him. However,a friend if mine's little boy wasn't bothered by it so she tried the 'box' method, where she has a see-through box that she keeps out of reach of her little boy, but where he can see it. And if he's naughty, she gives him a warning and says if you do that again then I'll take away a toy, and if he does do it again, she puts one of his favourite toys in the box, and he can see it but can't reach it. And then if he's good, he gets a toy back again. She says that this method REALLY works.
Good luck xxxxxxxx

Thanks for your replies, I don't think the heat is helping us either!! We are both very ratty!

I like the idea of having a clear box to put a favourite toy in, think that should work. He always apologises for what he's done, sometimes before I've even said anything because he thinks that "sorry" makes up for everything but we've got to a point where it doesn't because he doesn't mean it anymore and it doesn't stop him if you know what I mean?
Thanks for your help x