Venting thread.........so angry

FagAshLil

OP - sounds like you would benefit from a nice hot bath and a glass of wine.

He's just being a kid - that's what they do. Please don't punish him.

I know it's tough. I'm a single parent of three and they drive me doolally sometimes but they wouldn't be normal if they didn't push the boundaries.

Hope you feel better soon.

X

go_cat

I posted on here a few weeks ago about the same issue ....... i have a 4 year old who goes to bed at 6.30 and is still playing / reading at 8.30 telling me he is not tired

He too starts school in september fingers crossed it appears very common at this age

pigpen

Oh dear.. if you think it is bad now you are in for a treat in years to come!

I hate to say it but... they get sooooo much worse.

He may just simply not believe it is bedtime.. it is light out and it is warm..

I learned a long time ago letting them read for a short time in bed.. with an analogue clock in the room and picures showing 'bedtime' 'get up time' 'quiet time' helped when they were 4ish. They could read in bed and 7pm I would then go up and snuggle them up and kiss them goodnight and if they whisper to one another for a bit it is fine but i will not tolerate getting out of bed or messing about... that is when stuff is removed.

His stuff was just a tempation being there.. he is only little..

Don't sweat the small stuff.... in a few years he will come home with broken bones, drunk as a lord, with a police escort.. or worse an escort! :eek:, a pregnant girlfriend or high as a kite... not getting in bed will be far preferable!!!

Louise03

Get a grip! He is being a normal child, this is what they do. As for confiscating his toys - this smacks to me of bullying behaviour on your part. He is ONLY 4 years old.

RachelS

I understand how you feel. It can be really frustrating at times. I suppose the thing to think is that it's his age...all children his age behave that way, it's a part of normal development. I think the way to go, from my own experience, to keep the frustration down is to have appropriate expectations. Try to be fair and consistent in your approach (i.e make any consequences of his actions always the same, clearly explained with one or two warnings, and make sure the consequence happens immediately so he connects it with his behaviour). My personal thought is that the consequences you were considering with the toys are too much for a 4 year old and might not work that well because of that. That is just my personal opinion though. After all, bedtime's not really time for punishment, is it?

Then if you are feeling really upset, try to have some time away from the situation even if it's just 5 minutes with a cuppa to calm down. It's better than letting them see you're angry...that'll only unsettle them more.

make_me_wise

Is he due to start school in September? Is he at full time or part time nursery at the moment? Maybe he is worried about this new transition in his life. Sounds like he has been thrown a bit off balance as you say this has been escalating for a few weeks now. This would coincide with most nurseries gradually preparing their charges for the next exciting but often scary time of their lives. Is he a bit clingy to you?

Ask his new school to put together a photo familiarisation album for him. We do one for any kids who are worried about joining our junior school. Just pictures of areas of the school and the main people they will come into contact with. It can help little kids loads and takes no time at all to put together.

evansmummy

go_cat wrote: »

I posted on here a few weeks ago about the same issue ....... i have a 4 year old who goes to bed at 6.30 and is still playing / reading at 8.30 telling me he is not tired

He too starts school in september fingers crossed it appears very common at this age

Wow goes to bed at 6.30? He must be up at the crack of dawn! My 2 and 3 year olds go at 7.30 to 8 and they are usually up at 730am ish.

To OP my 3 year old son, up to the last couple of weeks, was heaven sent. Fantastically well behaved, did whatever we told him etc etc. But he's started to push his boundries too. It feels like the end of the world to me sometimes and I wonder where my angel has disappeared to but it's easily forgotten and doesn't seem that bad later. Get yourself a full glass of vino and you'll be fine in the morning.

Sambucus_Nigra

Sorry - I genuinely can't work out what he did wrong.

shellsuit

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Sorry - I genuinely can't work out what he did wrong.

He was playing in his room when he was told to go to sleep. :cool:

jamsandwhich

I think it is the age TBH. My twins girls are four in a month and also start school in September - I have been chewing the cud with OH as we feel a as if they are too young to go at four but they are sooooo ready:D

They are also behaving in a similar way - especially one of them who is a stubborn little so-and-so who loves to push the limits - today they have spent quite a lot of time on the naughty step and had a few tellings off. I have learned to pick my battles carefully - bedtime at this time of year is a nightmare - they are usually tucked up and fast asleep but they only went off about 1/2 an hour ago tonight as we let them stay up until they knackered themselves out and were begging to go to bed:rotfl:

I now have a nice glass of wine and am sat in the garden on my lappy while OH does some digging:)