I think this is a phase for my 3 year old son. But he is extreamlly emotional the littles things send him over the edge. Example of like if he cant get his sock off he cries, if he is told to pick up toys he cries, or u ask him to wash his hands and cries. Can anyone second me on this? and maybe give me a tip to help survie this phase...... lol
That sounds more like a tantrum to me. Tantrums aren't allowed in our house.
I would ask him what he was feeling and see if you can get him to name an emotion. And I would get him some books on emotions and toys with emotive expressions and talk about different feelings. Also, ask him what he's feeling when he looks happy and when he is excited about something. Sometimes kids don't know what they are feeling and it's actually kind of scary so he cries. Give him a replacement action instead of crying - like saying "I'm frustrated with this sock!" It will help if he learns to distinguish feeling disappointed from feeling frustrated from feeling sad from feeling angry. It will help him build empathy skills, too.
Definitely true that being tired/overstimulated may be the reason, as well as low blood sugar. Keep track when these little outbursts come up, is there any pattern to it? The hours before meals or naps, transition times when he has to end one activity and go to another...
Be mindful of how you phrase things you want him to do, as much as possible steer away from telling him what to do, and telling him It's Time To... it becomes less of a power play that way and more just a schedule thing.
Also, bear in mind he might not have the skills and attention to do some of those tasks on his own. Help him when you can (taking off socks) and keep the chores to short bursts (pick up 5 toys, find all the red legos, etc) so he is less likely to be overwhelmed and frustrated. Wherever possible, give him simple choices (do you want to put on your socks first or your shirt?) to give him a sense of control, and make chores a fun game (can you throw all the legos into the bin from this line?). It's all easier said than done, it can be hard to be light and playful with an overtired 3 year old, but these tactics can go a long way to working together better.
Good luck!
Isn't it awful that there's no owner's manual for kids? I'd love some directions! I agree that he may be tired. There may also be another answer
Some little ones act out when they don't yet have the vocabulary to give voice to their feelings. For some kids, it's hitting and for some, it's crying. Sometimes, words that help acknowledge their frustration help. Usually, once this kinds of kid can explain himself in another way, the crying lessens.
Is he getting enough sleep? Should be around 11-14 hours My guess would be no, he's over tired.
how verbal is he? If he doesn't have the verbal skills to express himself he could be overly frustrated.
My son gets like this when he is over-tired. Maybe this is it?
