DS just turned three a couple of weeks ago and has also started hitting me so often, it is making me batty!
Just for example today: He had SUCH a hard morning. Woke up cranky, couldn't manage to listen to any direction at all. I took him to swimming lessons, hoping getting some energy out would help, but on the way back to the car, he couldn't stop whining, crying, complaining, etc. We came home, had an early lunch, and then nap. I was laying down with him for nap, hoping that some snuggly mama time would help too, and my arm fell asleep, so I tried moving him and he decided that he was done with nap after only a half hour. This is a kid who NEEDS at least an hour or two, especially on hard days. I said it is time to go back to sleep, you can lay down by yourself, or come back and snuggle with mama. He then proceeded to start screaming and hitting me rather violently. I grabbed his hands and said, "you may not hit me" and he just screamed more and tried to hit more. I said, "if you can't stop hitting me, you may go upstairs and nap in bed" I then brought him upstairs to bed and plopped him down and came back downstairs. He did go right back to sleep, and hopefully will sleep for a good long time.
I just can't figure out how to deal with the hitting piece! I do understand that he is 3 and that is such a tough age. He is testing the boundaries over and over and over, and I am going a bit batty with that, but I feel like I can deal with most of it except for the hitting. I was hit as a child, and it is such a trigger for me. I need some strategies desperately!
Just for example today: He had SUCH a hard morning. Woke up cranky, couldn't manage to listen to any direction at all. I took him to swimming lessons, hoping getting some energy out would help, but on the way back to the car, he couldn't stop whining, crying, complaining, etc. We came home, had an early lunch, and then nap. I was laying down with him for nap, hoping that some snuggly mama time would help too, and my arm fell asleep, so I tried moving him and he decided that he was done with nap after only a half hour. This is a kid who NEEDS at least an hour or two, especially on hard days. I said it is time to go back to sleep, you can lay down by yourself, or come back and snuggle with mama. He then proceeded to start screaming and hitting me rather violently. I grabbed his hands and said, "you may not hit me" and he just screamed more and tried to hit more. I said, "if you can't stop hitting me, you may go upstairs and nap in bed" I then brought him upstairs to bed and plopped him down and came back downstairs. He did go right back to sleep, and hopefully will sleep for a good long time.
I just can't figure out how to deal with the hitting piece! I do understand that he is 3 and that is such a tough age. He is testing the boundaries over and over and over, and I am going a bit batty with that, but I feel like I can deal with most of it except for the hitting. I was hit as a child, and it is such a trigger for me. I need some strategies desperately!
My precious 3yo becomes such a tyrant sometimes, not listening, being bossy and angry, it's just so frustrating.
