Dealing with My Three Year Old

Updated on July 16, 2010
S.M. asks from Forest Hills, NY
12 answers

I just had a baby five months ago . My three year old have is out of control. She doesn't listen. I have to feed her, she ignores me when I dicpline her and is just acting out. I am running out patience with her and becoming frustrated. I have to deal with my five year old , her and the baby. At the end of the day I am in tears, I feel drained and exhausted. . I need a break I am falling apart. If I take the kids over to my parents to watch for a little while my mother always complains. My husband ask his mom to babysit so we can have a break and go out she is always not available. Can't afford a babysitter. If my husband and I are having a conversation the kids interupt. we cannot even have a conversation. Any advise?

1 mom found this helpful

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

So What Happened?

Thank you guys for your responses. I was already doing some of the things you have mentioned and they didn't work. I will keep working and trying. You guys made me feel strong and ready for the next round. Sometimes all you need is a little encouragement from people that understands you. I am so happy I became a member of this site. I appreciate all your info on the books and methods .Thank you guys.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.B.

answers from Redding on

It's late and I'm tired....
But, my advice is..........

NEVER LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT!

You are the mommy, you are never too tired to be in control, you have boundaries and you will always enforce them.
Kids will wear you down to a wafer if you let them so you have to have more fortitude than your kids.

It's not easy, but the sooner you do it and the sooner you let them know that they have someone else in control and it's non negotiable, the better.

Fall apart when you're exhausted and in bed at night, but don't let her know she wears you down.

I mean this as a person who dearly loves children, but they are like sharks.
They can smell blood. :)

If you feel like you are falling apart, they will know and chew you limb from limb.
Love and structure is the best way to handle it.
Even when you're too tired...
Don't let them know that.

Best wishes!

5 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.G.

answers from Savannah on

Stop babying the 3yr old. She is having a hard time adjusting to being a big sister and it acting out because of it and you are playing right into her poor behaviour and she'll just keep getting worse if you don't stop now.

She is capable of feeding herself so stop feeding her. Put her food at the table and sit her down to eat. If she refuses, leave her be. Don't force her to eat but don't give in to any tantrums or fighting either. Sit down for meals as a family, including the baby! If your 3yr old acts up at the table, send her to her room till she can behave at the table. If she doesn't eat, oh well. She won't let herself starve but this will turn to a battle of the wills and you need to win this one in order to retake control of her!!
You didn't say what type of discipline you are using in the home but you need to be doing something and you need to do it as soon as she does something wrong! You'll have to stop what ever you are doing and put her in time out for 3 mins. Even if that means putting the baby down in a safe place to do it or intrupt a baby feeding to do it-you've got to react in a calm and mater-of-fact manner when she does something wrong. All you have to say to her is _______(her name), I am putting you in time out for throwing that toy, for not doing as mommy asked, etc. And daddy needs to do the same thing. There is no good cop/bad cop here.
Get her to help you with the baby, get a diaper, wipes, a toy, etc. Show her that it takes everyone in the house to help take care of the baby. If she doesn't want to then that's fine. Don't force her or put her in time out for that.
Find some one on one time to get to her. Even if it's only 10 mins at night before bed talking to her with no one else around, reading a book, a craft while the baby naps, etc.
As far as the kids interrupting your conversations, discipline! They get a time out for it! They'll get the hint after a few times.

A good read is 1 2 3 magic. Talks about start and stop behaviours, and how to reinforce them.

Good luck!
S.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

R.Y.

answers from New York on

This was my situation a year ago, my 2 kids are 3 years apart. It started getting better around the time the baby got to be 9-12 months. My now 4 year old was very demanding of attention and acting up a lot (he was a handful before but adding a sibling was a whole new level of misbehavior). We then put him in preschool a few days a week (which was another whole adjustment but after 2-3 months in preschool he was happy there). If you can't do that can someone watch just the baby so you can give your older one some special attention? Even half an hour when the baby is sleeping is a start. It is so exhausting now but it does get better...

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.O.

answers from New York on

Oh My God! I totally feel for you and totally understand what you are going through. My two boys are two years and two days apart, so I knew things were going to get crazy after the baby came. And boy did they.
My oldest is very energetic and I sometimes describe him as thinking that rules simply don't apply to him, he understands what the rules are, and what he is supposed to do, but maybe that just doesn't suit him today.
When we brought the baby home the same thing happened. Behavior got way out of control. I think for every kid it is different. I saw him get progressively worse untl the baby was about 5-6 months old and then things loosened up. My little one is now 11 months and we have settled into a nice pattern. But whenever the baby hits developmental milestones we see regression, like when #2 started to crawl or started to babble he got more attention, #1 started to act out for the attention.
I think the most important thing is for you and hubs to trust that this will pass. The more frustrated and angry you become the worse it will get. If you can respond calmly and with little emotion, it will help her to learn top deal with stressful situations. But this is oft easier said than done.
I did try to spend one on one time with my son every week. Even now we will go to the grocery store or the farmer's market just the two of us and I think that helps. I get stuff done and my husband gets a break (because let's face it the baby is easier to handle right now) and I get face time with #1. I am a firm believer that this helps.
Oh, and as little TV therapy never hurt anyone. You may be opposed to TV. But I will turn it on for an hour while I am cooking to get stuff done and get everyone to zone out and calm down for a while.

4 moms found this helpful

B.K.

answers from San Francisco on

I am a parent of a three year boy and also a psychologist who works with people who have behavioural issues,
Children mirror their parents behaviour.
If you are frustrated and angry all the time the children mirror by their behaviour.The same goes if you are relaxed and happy.
Take a deep breath and try to focus on the positive rather than the negative.
Try as much as possible to get out of the house with the children.Go into nature like a beach or park and let them run around.Being in the house all the time can bring claustaphobia which will stress you all out.Spend dates nites at home with your husband when the children are asleep.
Good luck
From a non-judgement parent
B.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.P.

answers from Portland on

I suggest that whatever form of discipline you're using it is not working. You're exhausted and perhaps the discipline is too difficult to maintain or perhaps it's just not a good fit with this child.

I suggest reading a book by Foster Cline and Jim Fay entitled Love and Logic for Toddlers or the one entitled Parenting with Love and Logic. They also have a web site you can find by googling love and logic. Their system is simple and easily applied once you get the hang of it. Discipline calls for consistent expectations that a child understands/follow and immediate natural consequences applied before the parent gets angry or "has had enough."

Does your mother complain because the 3 yo is out of control or because 3 kids are too much for her or something else. My daughter has 2 children 3 years apart. Both are high energy. Once the youngest was walking I could not take care of both of them at the same time for longer than a couple of hours. They are now 7 and 10 and it's just been this last year that I've taken both of them away from their own space at the same time. Might she complain less if you asked her to just keep one of them or even the baby and the 5 yo? Having one less child for you to tend to will help some. I suggest that the 3 yo is crying for help and perhaps staying with her mother for a few hours every week would help her feel more secure.

Another arrangement that helped my daughter and I was to arrange for babysitting in advance. And then to send an e-mail citing the date and time so that there would be no mix up.

Three and five year olds can play in their room for 30 minutes or so or perhaps longer if they are in separate rooms while you and your husband talk or just be together without constant interruption. It does sound like your 2 older children need more discipline so that they can learn to give you space. It could be that you're just too exhausted to make that happen. I understand that. But finding a way to get your kids back in your control needs to be top priority.

Other mothers, on this site, have suggested books. One that I remember is 1-2-3 Magic. I've skimmed thru that and it and I think it can be effective and may be an easier read than Love and Logic. They seem similar in their focus.

You could look for a mother's helper now that it's summer. Perhaps there is a young girl, 11 or 12 or older, in your neighborhood or church who would come to your house several hours a week to watch one or two of the kids while you nap with the baby or while you do the dishes or a bit of laundry or more importantly just sit down and do nothing. Mother's helpers have been discussed in several posts recently.

A teen may be available to do light housework for a small amount of money. If you go to church you may be able to find a retired adult or a SAHM with older children to help out once a week.

Do you have a friend who would be willing to babysit. I was single and had no kids when my friends were having there's. I loved baby's and kids and babysat for free.

If you don't have your older two sleep trained, then work on that. Get them to bed and if not asleep at least in their own room by 8 and you'll have time to be with and talk with your husband even tho you're still caring for your baby.

If you don't have a consistent routine, developing one and following it will help.

You didn't say whether or not your husband helps with the kids. If he doesn't perhaps you could encourage him to do so by starting him out with one task that he chooses. He must be sympathetic to your exhaustion and state of mind.

When you describe the way you have to treat your 3 yo, I suggest that much of your difficulty is caused by your exhaustion and inability to be sympathetic to her. She has been replaced as the baby of the family and she's feeling it. She doesn't know how to express her own anger and frustration. She has regressed which is normal. Feeding her is one way for her to not only get your attention but to also feel like a baby again.

She needs attention and if she's not getting positive attention she will act out. Negative attention is better than no attention. You've heard that. It's really difficult for you to give her positive attention because she isn't listening and is acting out. Someone needs to break that cycle.

If you can't do it, perhaps your husband can. Is he able to remain calm and maintain consistency for you and the children when he gets home or is he also worn out or not understanding of or able to be the anchor?

It's normal for kids to not listen. There are ways to improve their listening ability but I suspect that you're too tired to figure them out or to use them.

My mother had what we now know as postpartum depression. My father worked 2 jobs, one of which was 4 days on and 3 days off as a fire fighter. They struggled and struggled. They tried a part time house keeper but that still left us kids to care for and added managing the housekeeper. Church ladies brought us meals. A neighbor took care of the baby. Eventually, we 3 older kids went to live with an aunt and uncle and mother took the baby to live with another sister for 6 months. It was painful but was for the best in the long run. I'm not suggesting that you do this but telling you about it as a reminder to your husband about the seriousness of your sense that you're falling apart. You have to have a break, somehow.

I urge you and your husband to start counseling about how to manage your children so that you can get some rest. There are professional family and parenting counselors/coaches. I know of a couple who post on this site. I can't think of the titles they use. I've seen parenting coaches advertising in the freebie family magazines I see in stores and the library.

Yes, they do cost money but as you've said, you cannot continue as you are now. Because I don't know anything about your circumstances I can't suggest ways of getting money for this help but from reading your post I believe it's urgent that you find a way to get parenting help and babysitting help.

I also urge you to talk with your doctor about the possibility of taking some anti-anxiety and/or antidepressant medication for a while and see if that helps. Our body chemistry changes when we've been under stress for a period of time. You will benefit from some chemical assistance to get back on track.

3 moms found this helpful

C.B.

answers from Kansas City on

wait wait wait...slow down...take a breath. first off i feel for you, i really do. three is two more than i could handle! lol. S., it will probably take up to a year for your three year old to adjust fully to being a big sister (i have just heard - over and over again, and i'm sure you'll be told on here too). hang in there, the first year with any new baby is always the roughest. you'll get through this. if you have managed to get some one on one time with hubby more than once already in 5 months, you're doing better than many moms do. your three year old is messed up right now - her routine is messed up, her self image is messed up, her confidance in your unadulterated, 100% single devotion as your "baby" is messed up. she has to learn that you still love her despite sharing your love with a new baby.

first off - TOTALLY stop feeding her. she is pulling the "baby" routine because she wants attention. my advice would be treat her as you always have, stop letting her revert back to baby ways. she knows how to act, enforce good behavior. give her her way when she asks NICELY, when she behaves SWEETLY, when she is mommy's good big girl. i would really encourage you to stop focusing so much on getting "alone" time, and put some of that extra time into re-connecting with your three year old. i imagine she is feeling pretty confused, lonely, and hurt right now. a three year old doesn't get the "joy and blessing" part of a new baby. look at it from her perspective.

GOOD LUCK and hang in there. and remember your three year old KNOWS how to act. the chaos and craziness has allowed her to backslide, but that's all it is. you might have to go back to basics with discipline.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

I totally know how you feel. My kids are 6yrs, 2 1/2 and 1 1/2, life is crazy for sure! Stop feeding her, shes a big girl and she needs to know that there are great things she can do that the baby cant do. have her help you alot that helped refocus my son. Even when your feeding the new baby ask her if she would like to help you feed the baby, bottle or sit with you and spoon feed. Take her out if you can just her and do something like a big girl if she is acting good. Stick with the consequence you give her for not listening and doing what she is told. Try giving her a lot of positive attention. I know its hard and VERY tiring but it will not stay this way forever. Ask your hubby to watch them for a little bit and get out of the house with a friend or something. I know its hard with three kids, no one wants to watch that many, grandparents, friends ect. my parents used to help once in awhile when it was one now that its three their like its too tiring and to much and their not that old either, but their my kids so my responsiblity so i cant get upset you know. Anyways at 5 and 3 you should be ble to tell them to play in their room for a few minute so you can talk to your hubby. Breathe and try to relax it is going to get easier just give it sometime and stick with the discipline. whatever you say do and try not to let the stress of the day make you over react. punish for the action at hand not the actions of the day. She's going to get it soon. Dont let her bad behavior go without a consequence. your gonna get through it....good luck hun.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.D.

answers from Albany on

You know how the airline stewards tell you to put your oxygen mask on yourself FIRST before helping others. Sounds like that is what you need to do. Ask your mom or DH to take the kids for an afternoon and go out and do something for yourself. You can sit on a bench in a park and read for a while, have breakfast with a friend etc. whatever you need to relax a little bit.

Take an hour or two of that time to write down everything that is bothering you. Just write it as it comes to mind and don't worry about how it sounds. When you are finished venting on paper, look over your list and think about solutions. They can be broad: research different discipline techniques, schedule time for myself, take a walk with DH once a week or whatever you think would help. Just the process of writing and brainstorming solutions can be empowering. No solution will be perfect and things will be hard but you CAN find ways to manage this situation. I agree that you need to take charge. Your needs and those of your DH are important and if they are not tended to, you will not be able to take care of your kids in the best way possible.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.A.

answers from New York on

I would ask mom to watch just the baby and you, your husband and the three year old go out and make it all about her. Then your husband should let you get out by yourself or with girlfriends. If you both got out right now you'd only talk about how frustrated you are anyway. Better to get the break you need individually right now, show your daughter she is special and snuggle when they go to bed. no words necessary.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

W.T.

answers from New York on

The first thing to try -- and it's not easy -- is for you to have 15 minutes of one-on-one time with each child, each day. 15 minutes of sitting on the floor beside them, saying "what do you want to play?" and then doing it with them.

What that means is that your husband will need to take the other 2 kids during those 15-minute blocks. The baby probably doesn't need the 15 minutes, so it's 1/2 hour daily commitment from your husband; and 1 hour if you both want to have turns doing one-on-one time.

What that time does is reinforce the best parts of your relationship, which decreases their anxiety about all the changes in their lives, and then they've had a positive experience so that discipline (negative experience, or removal of that positive attention) they KNOW what the positive feels like and they crave it more. It also gives you 15 minutes away from dishes, feeding, and keeping up.

I got that tip from a book called The Portable Pediatrician, and it helped us immensely when our 2nd baby arrived -- I was covered in bruises from our 3-year-old biting me, though he was sweet to everyone else. The 15-minutes a day really helped us.

I hope you get some relief. It's a huge disappointment when others don't come through with the care you are brave enough to ask for. Good luck...

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Rochester on

S.,
your three year old is now the middle child. : )

Feed her. It's simpler. My two - almost - three - year old still needs the centering of being fed. he is perfectly capable, yes. He' s not perfect! Call it regression, call it need for attention. Keep it simple. It doesn't last forever, and it saves a battle.

attachmentparenting.org

scott noelle. free emails x5/week

These are two sites that have provided ample advice often for how to work with my baby, now not-so-baby!

Listen to your mother's complaints! Then ask her: Can you watch them if I am sick? Can you watch the oldest two? the middle child? Complaints are ways to fix things.

Totally understand where you are coming from, can't afford a baby sitter and if we could - my son would not STAY with one!

Oh for the conversation - have a conversation book! Write what you want to say in it - then your hubbie - and even if your oldest can read already, just keep it out of reach. It's not exactly convenient but it CAN be if you make it that way. Besides, you can only get away with spelling and rephrasing for so long with the oldest.

hugs honey, and just DO visit your Mom. Put your feet up, hold the baby,and close your eyes for a few minutes. Believe me, even THAT little bit is blessed.

people expect so much from Moms - and TV helps create those expectations. Maybe cut down on your little one's tv time - and yours - and you might find yourself with less stress! I have!

Good luck,
M.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions