Parenting Forums

Posted: 27 July 2007 at 11:11pm | IP Logged

my five year old ds is driving me up the wall. we only got back of our holidays last saturday and ever since he has pushed me every way he can. the worst thing is its pulling at my heart strings as well. if i tell him of he goes crying upstairs saying i want to go back to my holidays. he was as good as gold while we were away, but the minute we get back he has turned into the child from hell, ive said if he can behve we will go back next year. ive tried talkin to him resoning with him all to no avail. ive found he has got rude to people which he never was before. he is constantly whining for everything and he refuses point blank to put his shoes on to go out which i expect from my 2 year old dd. i even had to phone my mum and dad up yesterday to take him for the afternoon i think we needed a break from each other. i feel sorry for him cos i think he is missing out on mummy time cos he is always misbehaving. ive even tried the lovey lovey approach but then carries on with watever nonsence he was doing before.

sorry this post is so long has anyone got any advise i cant go the full summer holidays like this.

Posted: 28 July 2007 at 12:15am | IP Logged

poor you. the question to ask yourself was why was he so different when you were away on holiday? other than a different setting what were the differences. are you back around certain people, did he have lots of your attention when away and now it's changed. what were the activities that he did that he enjoyed, can you do them here, maybe as a reward system. had you been easier on his behaviour when away. was his diet or bedtime different?  how are you now you are back. he's testing the boundaries by the sounds of it. if they changed while away that is why he could be doing it. maybe he is doing it to get your attention. children will settle for bad attention as long as it's attention. they cannot voice their frustration and so they do it through their behaviour.

i know it's probably not helpful but the answer may be in those questions. holidays break the routine and so it can send them into over drive.

thinking of you. stay strong and stay consistent you will benefit yourself and him in the long run.