3 year old and behavior problems

I am going to preface this by saying that DS is off his routine b/c he is not at school this week and I am off from work. That being said, he is off the wall with nonsense behaviors that I really can't tolerate. First he is very fresh. I told him he couldn't watch TV b/c he wasn't listening. So he went to the tv and tried to turn it on. DH said "what are you doing?" and he said, with his hands on his hips "Im going to watch anything I want HAHA". This is just one instance of being fresh!
Then the not listening is driving me up a wall. We have tried time outs, tried reinforcing the positive behavior, count downs and a behavior chart. Nothing works!!!! I am really at my wits end and I know part of it is being 3 but it is driving me batty this week. He has already lost most of his presents b/c of this behavior.

Any suggestions? I am going crazy!

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

Only suggestion is that maybe you'll actually look forward to school starting next week for a change so you can get back into a routine

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

Johnny, like clockwork, always turned into a NUT the week he was off of school at holiday time. It's a combination of holiday craziness and being out of their routine.

I know when I was going through it i was desperate to fix it and get it to STOP. but you know what? For us, it stopped when he went back to school, lol...

I think we just had to give time outs (in his room with NO toys in the room), and promising something fun later in the day sometimes worked (like early in the morning we would say "oh there might be a fun trip to the movies with daddy if someone is a very good boy today!). I think that starts to work around 3/3.5..any younger and the discipline to be good all day isn't there.

Good luck! It will totally pass but when its happening it enough to make you rip your hair out!! BTDT! lol

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

Posted by LJSMommy

Only suggestion is that maybe you'll actually look forward to school starting next week for a change so you can get back into a routine

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

DS is BIG on his video games lately, and while we limit the time he can spend playing them, I do use no video games if you do XYZ, and it works like a charm 95% of the time. I think one time early on he still didn't listen, and then he didn't get to play the next day. He screamed, cried and carried on for a long time, but he hasn't done that since.

Some of it is the age though, and as you said, the disruption in routine. Next week it should shift.

Re: 3 year old and behavior problems

My guess is he is still overwhelmed from the holidays/gifts and he doesn't have his routine.

I try to tell DS what we are doing now and later so he is prepared.

As far as the talking back, I play yackety yak for DS. I say "Yackety Yak" then he says "Don't talk back". I do it when I see it starting just to remind him of his manners. Once he's off the wall, it doesn't work.

I tried calming DS down by holding him the other day, didn't work. I tried quiet games - puzzles, coloring, worked much better.

I hope it gets better