DS is generally gentle and kind. Of late, though, he's gotten a HUGE contrary streak into him. He tells us no explicitly if we ask him to do something. Even when we give him some choices. And it usually has quite a tint to it, like "no, I'm not doing that" (include some attitude in there). He's also started to occasionally growl at us instead of saying no, or when we've asked him not to do something. Just general unpleasantness.
The contrariness is the hardest, especially when he does something we just asked him not to do. I know this is a great way to get a reaction, and sometimes he gets it and sometimes he doesn't, but I don't know what to do with that kind of blatant disregard. ARGH!
We know that this is worse when he's tired, hungry, feeling like he hasn't had enough control of his day, etc, so we work to control all of those things.
Any words of wisdom? Any chance this will pass SOON? How do we ride the wave of this gently while still communicating that some of it isn't acceptable?
thanks!
megin
The contrariness is the hardest, especially when he does something we just asked him not to do. I know this is a great way to get a reaction, and sometimes he gets it and sometimes he doesn't, but I don't know what to do with that kind of blatant disregard. ARGH!
We know that this is worse when he's tired, hungry, feeling like he hasn't had enough control of his day, etc, so we work to control all of those things.
Any words of wisdom? Any chance this will pass SOON? How do we ride the wave of this gently while still communicating that some of it isn't acceptable?
thanks!
megin
