Sorry this is so long! Guess I just needed to get it out.
My DS will be 3 in a few weeks. He's really a sweet kid. Out and about with other kids, really happy, generally well behaved(in 3 yo terms), and, up until recently, really well attached to DH and I(no major fits when we leave, confident, secure with caregivers...)
But lately, things have gotten crazy. I'm 36 weeks pregnant with #2 and for the past month or two, DS has been SO clingy. Like more than he ever was even as a little babe or at other major development milestones. He's also acting out like crazy all of a sudden, including hitting me and kicking regularly. He refuses to listen, and despite numerous attempts at "time-in's" that haven't worked, we have to do time outs at least 6 times a day lately for things that he's known for a year to stay away from that he suddenly is testing the boundaries of again. He's all but rejecting of my husband, his physical boundaries with me are non-existant (we stopped nursing in January, but suddenly, he's been really rough with my boobs and climbing all over my belly).
I've been racking my brain about things that could be causing a seemingly sudden personality shift. His diet has been the same(good whole, non processed, limited sugar foods), although, he goes between eating like a horse for two days to then eating like a bird for a week, but this has been what he does since birth. He hasn't napped for over a year, but lately, when he gets up at 5:30 every morning, he talks about how tired he is until about 11am. I encourage him to nap, but he refuses. My husband has had some extra work to do lately, but he's still really available and spending a fair amount of time with him.
The only thing I can think of is that he has been watching a bit more TV than he used to. Being pg, I'm tired and without him napping its a way for me to get some downtime in the day, especially as the whining and clinginess has increased and is so wearing on me. I do see a cycle with that a bit as I get SO frustrated with him sometimes and then the next day he's uber clingy trying to reconnect. Thing is, even if I spend all day playing with him, it doesn't seem to change much...He is potty learning, but we are being REALLY chill about that, even more so now that the new babe is coming so soon and we know that a regression might be on the horizon.
On the days when he eats and sleeps great at night, he's super, so I know that is a huge part of it, but I can't force either of those things. As for the baby, he knows a change is coming, but we try to talk to him about it a lot and offer him a safe place to express his feelings on it.
Sorry for the novel! I guess I'm looking for advice or even just a bit of sympathy. I know so much of this is typical toddler behavior, but with the new babe on the way and the fact that it seemed so sudden and extreme, I'm just a bit anxious. And all of my sweet, AP parents friends IRL are starting to turn to spanking(!!!) for their discipline. Not willing to go there.
TIA for reading and for whatever you can offer!
My DS will be 3 in a few weeks. He's really a sweet kid. Out and about with other kids, really happy, generally well behaved(in 3 yo terms), and, up until recently, really well attached to DH and I(no major fits when we leave, confident, secure with caregivers...)
But lately, things have gotten crazy. I'm 36 weeks pregnant with #2 and for the past month or two, DS has been SO clingy. Like more than he ever was even as a little babe or at other major development milestones. He's also acting out like crazy all of a sudden, including hitting me and kicking regularly. He refuses to listen, and despite numerous attempts at "time-in's" that haven't worked, we have to do time outs at least 6 times a day lately for things that he's known for a year to stay away from that he suddenly is testing the boundaries of again. He's all but rejecting of my husband, his physical boundaries with me are non-existant (we stopped nursing in January, but suddenly, he's been really rough with my boobs and climbing all over my belly).
I've been racking my brain about things that could be causing a seemingly sudden personality shift. His diet has been the same(good whole, non processed, limited sugar foods), although, he goes between eating like a horse for two days to then eating like a bird for a week, but this has been what he does since birth. He hasn't napped for over a year, but lately, when he gets up at 5:30 every morning, he talks about how tired he is until about 11am. I encourage him to nap, but he refuses. My husband has had some extra work to do lately, but he's still really available and spending a fair amount of time with him.
The only thing I can think of is that he has been watching a bit more TV than he used to. Being pg, I'm tired and without him napping its a way for me to get some downtime in the day, especially as the whining and clinginess has increased and is so wearing on me. I do see a cycle with that a bit as I get SO frustrated with him sometimes and then the next day he's uber clingy trying to reconnect. Thing is, even if I spend all day playing with him, it doesn't seem to change much...He is potty learning, but we are being REALLY chill about that, even more so now that the new babe is coming so soon and we know that a regression might be on the horizon.
On the days when he eats and sleeps great at night, he's super, so I know that is a huge part of it, but I can't force either of those things. As for the baby, he knows a change is coming, but we try to talk to him about it a lot and offer him a safe place to express his feelings on it.
Sorry for the novel! I guess I'm looking for advice or even just a bit of sympathy. I know so much of this is typical toddler behavior, but with the new babe on the way and the fact that it seemed so sudden and extreme, I'm just a bit anxious. And all of my sweet, AP parents friends IRL are starting to turn to spanking(!!!) for their discipline. Not willing to go there.
TIA for reading and for whatever you can offer!
