My kids are 4 1/2 and 2. DS older, DD younger.
DD is in a **horrible** phase. Yesterday, it was raining and disgusting outside so we were in all day.
She spit on her brother and bit him---for seemingly no reason. (I was not right there but my mom was and she did not see a real provocation.)
Then, when I told her that was absolutely not allowed and picked her up to put her in time-out (something I save for situtations like biting and spitting on your brother) She said "You shut your mouth!"
This was a most extreme example, but all the time lately it seems she is just trying to aggravate him for no reason, either hitting, spitting, or just doing stuff like trying to sit by him when he asks her not to. Oh and telling him to 'shhh' or 'shut up.'
Much to DS's credit, he does not retaliate by doing something physical back. What I HATE though is he will just scream. Most inconvienient when it starts the moment DD gets up and DH is sleeping because he works most of the night.
(My mom lives with us. *I* as parent do the major disciplining whenever possible.)
I know she's got a 6 mo old baby brother and she is potty learning. Plenty of change. I know we've all been through a bunch of other changes in the past year. I know this all affects her.
But SERIOUSLY. My son is 4 1/2. He never would have so much as thought of doing the crap she does.
And it does not seem to matter WHAT I do. I can spend extra time with her. I can stick her in time-out when she acts like this. I can send her to her room. I can hold her in my lap and refuse to let her go till she's ready to stop hitting/spitting/biting. I can give her the option to go and spit in the bathroom sink if she wants to spit.
I would like to ignore the spitting and just see if it goes away, but since sometimes it is on DS and he hates it, it doesn't get ignored.
What do I do with this child who seems to live just to see what we will do if she does XYZ??? some of it seems to be attention-getting.
DD is in a **horrible** phase. Yesterday, it was raining and disgusting outside so we were in all day.
She spit on her brother and bit him---for seemingly no reason. (I was not right there but my mom was and she did not see a real provocation.)
Then, when I told her that was absolutely not allowed and picked her up to put her in time-out (something I save for situtations like biting and spitting on your brother) She said "You shut your mouth!"
This was a most extreme example, but all the time lately it seems she is just trying to aggravate him for no reason, either hitting, spitting, or just doing stuff like trying to sit by him when he asks her not to. Oh and telling him to 'shhh' or 'shut up.'
Much to DS's credit, he does not retaliate by doing something physical back. What I HATE though is he will just scream. Most inconvienient when it starts the moment DD gets up and DH is sleeping because he works most of the night.
(My mom lives with us. *I* as parent do the major disciplining whenever possible.)
I know she's got a 6 mo old baby brother and she is potty learning. Plenty of change. I know we've all been through a bunch of other changes in the past year. I know this all affects her.
But SERIOUSLY. My son is 4 1/2. He never would have so much as thought of doing the crap she does.
And it does not seem to matter WHAT I do. I can spend extra time with her. I can stick her in time-out when she acts like this. I can send her to her room. I can hold her in my lap and refuse to let her go till she's ready to stop hitting/spitting/biting. I can give her the option to go and spit in the bathroom sink if she wants to spit.
I would like to ignore the spitting and just see if it goes away, but since sometimes it is on DS and he hates it, it doesn't get ignored.
What do I do with this child who seems to live just to see what we will do if she does XYZ??? some of it seems to be attention-getting.
I think that has a lot to do with their morning immediate conflict.
