Discipline Problems with My 3 Yo Boy

Hi K.

Your son will try anything to be the center of your attention. He will continue to try to convince you he is in charge and that, unfortunately, is the part of being a mom that is the pits. You have to be consistent in letting him know what was unacceptable. Try some positive reinforcement by doing what you love to do... new and different things with the kids. Take a "treasure" walk with him then use the feather, rocks or bits of paper to make a craft. He wants to be an only child. Give him a day with you alone and you will see a different child.

Good luck, K..

It gets better...

(Mother of six and grandmother of five.)

I responded to "strong willed kindergarten boy" by Nancy. Please read this, it may help you too!

Wow - our situations could mirror each other! My three-year-old little boy started his "terrible twos" right around his third birthday in April. It was like a light switch.

I wholeheartedly agree with Brenda on the issue of consistency. And don't forget to add to that the absence of emotion. Your son may want more than just attention. He may, like most other preschoolers, want the emotional response you find hard to hold back. (And if this is an area where you struggle, you're not alone. I battle it by the minute!) But I've found that if I can successfully discipline without emotion, my children will learn a lot faster. And what our ultimate goal ought to be as parents is self-control and independence in our kids, which they'll never achieve if they have to concern themselves with side-stepping our anger to get at the lesson. Especially if all they're looking for anyway is to get a rise out of Mom or Dad.

I don't know if this is even a struggle you personally face, but I know it's one of my biggest, and it has quite an effect - one way or the other - on my son's behavior. I wish you the best in this battle, K.. Stand your ground but love him to pieces - it won't last forever!

~ R.

Sounds like his terrible twos were delayed until now. :-) It's a stage that every kid goes through. Keep being consitant with your time-outs and don't give in. My son gets that way too. He's almost three. Time-outs will work for may be five minutes, and then he's back to being a little tyrant sometimes. May be try redirecting his attention with some activities with you and your hubby. Kids love playing with their parents! I hope this helps.

We're always looking to meet new people! :-) Welcome to the area. What city do you live in? Email me.