Argh! Help! What is wrong with her???

[Antheia]

There must be something seriously wrong with DD. She is driving me INSANE!

Honestly, if she was like this all the time, you'd swear she was ADHD. She is acting like a nut case. First off she would not leave the cat alone. Always picking it up etc and you could tell the cat didnt like it. Sowe told herto stop god knows how many times. Then she started pretending to step on the cat. Telling her god knows how many times to stop. Then she kept annoying DH like full on jumping on him, hiting him, hurting him, covering his nose and mouth(which she has been doing to DS lately). So we tell her it's time for bed. She goes even crazier. Finally get her into her room. She is in fits of laughter and unresponsive. You call her name, she will not answer, even smacking had absolutely no response. She just continued to laugh and thrash about. This goes on for about an hour. I just walked out of there and she comes out again. Now she is ****ing DH off again by doing the same as before. I told her, if she did not stop i would take her to the hospital(which she hates) as only sick people act liek this. She said she is only playing. I ask her to stop,she needs to sleep. Nope. Then strts rattling off about what she wants for her birthday/xmas etc. Says who she wants come. etc. Saying this while jumping on her bed still laughing!! I told her,she wont have a birthday/xmas if she keeps this up. No response, total ignorance.

I have NFI! what to do with her. It is like this most nights. Like i said she acts like she has ADHD, but it's only after dinner. Even before bed time. What hell am i to do?

[~Trish~]

You poor thing! My DS1 (who must be a similar age to your DD) went through a similar stage recently. He just went NUTS after dinner. He was completely out of control. I'm not 100% sure what it was, but I cut out any sugar after dinner (he was getting rewarded with a square of chocolate for finishing his dinner so I stopped that) and it seemed to make a difference.

Another theory was that he may have been overtired. He cut out day naps 6 months ago and I'm not sure if it was the transitional stage?

Do you have a nighttime ritual that you follow every night? Sometimes having a routine can help things run more smoothly, but sometimes it's just the child too!

I hope it is just a phase that passes soon for you all!

[alioops]

Hun I think she just wants attention. Try ignoring her when she acts like this, and only talk to her when she is behaving herself. Try to take the things she acts up with the most away, and if she annoys the cat too much, the cat will teach her a lesson. hang in there hun, this too shall pass.

[Antheia]

The thing i hate the most is her not listening. Most of the day she will not listen to me. I ask her to pick up her toys, or stop hurting her brother or stop hurting the cat or stoping messying this or that. She will just stick her tounge out at me, hit me, ignore me, or copy what i say(GOD that irritates me!) The craziness is just at night, but the rudness and back chatting and ignoring is all day long. You'd swear she was a damn teenager!! God help me when she is!

She doesnt eat sweets, we cut them out a while ago. Doesnt have dessert of any kind. She hasnt had a nap since she about 18 months i think, she is almost 4 now, so idont think she is overtired.

I just wanna scream from the roof tops. GRR GRR GRR! How can it be so hard? I did not raise her like this, i am not a bad mum. So why do i have such a naughty child?

[~Trish~]

You really could be writing my own story! It must be an age thing, my DS1 is nearly 4 too. He has always been a really good, easy-going boy, but over the last few months he has become naughty, short tempered and rude to DH and I. Like you, we haven't raised him that way! I have been feeling so upset about it, wondering where I have gone wrong.

This is what I'm currently doing with my DS, don't think I'm suggesting you do it, i just wanted to share! When DS speaks rudely to me I pull him up on it straight away and make him apologise. If he has demanded something rudely (for example "Get me a drink!") I will tell him that I won't help him while he speaks that way and I make him ask me nicely. I started up a points chart - when he says or does something good (eg. helps me clean up or asks politely for something without prompting) he gets a point. When he gets 5 points he gets a special treat. I have a container full of balloons, stickers, glitter pens, etc. I refuse to reward him with anything sweet anymore! If DS has been naughty or rude, he loses a point. This has really made a big difference in his behaviour. I think the rewards chart has made me focus more on his positives instead of always telling him off. We still have our days though! But I think those days are when I don't implement the chart as much.

If you find a magic solution, please let me know!

[Antheia]

I like the sound of your reward system. DD loves things like stickers balloons etc. So that might be a great way to get over this hurdle.

Hopfully it is just an age thing. I mean they warn you about the terrible 2's(which is what i am currently going through with DS, so double trouble for me right now!), but they never tell you it gets worse at 3 cause they know which buttons to push and at 4 when they know how to interacte more and know exactly what gets you mad etc. I am so so glad DS can't talk yet!

[~Trish~]

I know exactly what you mean! We sailed through the 2's, why does no one warn you it gets worse?! I'm glad to know it's not just me!

Good luck with the rewards system. I went to the Reject Shop and bought a whole heap of stuff there, it is so cheap! DS absolutely loves things like balloons and stickers too. He has just learned to blow up a balloon so he is super-excited about them LOL!