Another idea could be encouraging her to be a good example for her younger sibling. Maybe she could help by feeding the little one. You could ask her if she could be a really big help and give bub her breaky. I find with alot of kiddies they love helping & redirecting does wonders for challenging behaviour!
DS has always been a bad eater so I can't help you there, but he has gotten worse with eating, so it could be a developmental thing? Trying to get control of his surroundings (which is what they do) and this is one thing he can control? Who knows
And he is the same going to bed at night too. DH has to lie beside him or else he just cries and screams - and its just horrible. It can take up to 2 hours to get him to sleep though, which sucks.
The two girls go to sleep on their own, which makes it even more frustrating that he won't.
Thanks girls. Am on my own tonight so bed time was a little tough but not as tough as I have had before. DD1 eventually climbed into bed without me because dd2 was being a pita going to sleep. So I sat on the floor and counted to them... up to 100 then backward. dd1 got to about 80 before she was asleep.... It just seems everything with her is a real struggle! I know we need to be tough with her but we are pretty tough and then sometimes we let our guard down and she knows it! She has been really clingy towards me of late, I dont know if its an age thing or because I am pg. I cant seperate the girls coz we only have a small house. I know giving in only encourages her so I need to be strong!
This parenting thing is really tough at times.... trial and error!
Its funny the girls were at day care today and I was talking to the worker there and she also mentioned about the 1/2 year thing! That they are inbetween ages and... then I zoned out but yes, shes almost 3.5 and its getting tricky!
Olivia is and has always been a good eater, so its not actually the food thats the issue, because if I sat there and spoon fed her she would eat it all up. She just seems to have taken this helpless role on or maybe shes just lazy? I dont know? Shes also been saying that shes not a big girl and that shes a little girl.
I have tried the 'look your sister is doing that all by herself' but she doesnt really respond to that.
We have a fair few night terrors here too and sometimes it will take up to an hour to console her and get her back to sleep. I should be thankful that most of the time when she wakes me at night, she wakes me to go to the toilet. In saying that the past 2 nights she has wet the bed. No changes in routine either. Only a few weeks ago i was mentioning how well she was doing with holding her bladder overnight. I think that lasted a week!
I try and not wind things up, but I also am aware that she shouldnt be getting what she wants because her scream can wake up a whole post code! It just has me in tears at times. I dont want to cry infront of her, I dont want to cry because of her. I dont want to yell at her either. I am just finding it all a bit trying. I think my hormones dont help though and am just about cranky at everyone and am getting fairly emotional!!!
Mel - three sucks doesn't it?
It will pass. My DD did exactly what you are describing and I did exactly what you are describing...and she's OK. I find the 1/2 year mark to be the most challenging. I am a preventer rather than a curer so picked stuff I knew she would eat. I often found that growth spurts made them really tired at night and less likely to eat much other than a sandwich so sometimes when I feel it coming I give them their main meal in the day time and something lunchy for dinner that's easy to eat. I'm not really a strict parenting routine type so this works for me and my little free spirits
SOme things that helped us were occasionally picking fun stuff to eat (homemade pizzas, fajitas, homemade hamburgers - scaled down for the wee one) that she could help construct her own often made her forget about the whole "I can't" thing. As does lots of encouragement. Heck she still pulls it out of the bag.
Bedtimes well we have night terrors here so I'm still often in three different beds every night. I did start to stress when DS was really little and demanding too so I totally understand that worry. I also find that the keeping them calm and not building up a battle works much better.
I found that comparing the kids (ie look DS is doing that..) did not go down well and only made the situation worse.
Wow that was a disjointed ramble but just wanted to offer some support
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Re: Whats happening to my 3 year old?
Mel - three sucks doesn't it?
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