Defiant 3 year old

I know there was a recent post about this, but I need some more advice/help.

DS turned 3 in September. He started acting up within the last 2 months. It wasn't so bad up until recently - I gave birth to DD on Christmas Eve and he has just been a nightmare to deal with.

My sweet little boy now drives me to constant yelling. The snide smiling that he does as he knowingly continues to do something as I stand there saying 'no!' makes my insides boil.

I am trying to not yell and giving him choices, but I think I am doing it wrong. I am not sure when to give him the choices....during the temper tantrum or after - which can go on for almost 30 minutes!!!

How else do you reason with them when they are like this? Everything is just a battle with him - going to the bathroom, changing into pj's or out of them, brushing his teeth, getting out of the house.

We have been making sure to pay extra attention to him since bringing home DD. we make sure to praise him when he does listen, have him help out as much as he can with DD and then praise how great of a helper he is etc. it works but then out of nowhere something clicks and he is just an out of control brat!

Message edited 1/5/2014 9:26:33 PM.

Defiant 3 year old

DS is the same exact age and does similar things.... he's the boss of the bathroom, what he eats, when we leave. it can make you nuts... I'm hoping that like everything else, its just a phase and will pass

Re: Defiant 3 year old

I pick and choose my battles.
Ds can have a temper tantrum over wanting a different spoon at breakfast . I ignore him and he snaps out of it. Getting out of the house is a different story. I usually try to distract him mid tantrum and if that doesn't work I carry him kicking and screaming to the car and hope the neighbors don't see
Hang in there!!

Defiant 3 year old

I would cut him some slack since there is a new baby in the house. Many kids act up at that time cause they no longer get all the attention. I would not really change how you discipline him. It'll get better.