Dreading this phase
I love my son so much but lately he has been so dreadful. I find myself hating our days together because of how he's been acting. It's meltdown after meltdown over anything and everything. He's in the "no" phase and demanding things all day. He will not listen and I find myself yelling at him after asking nicely 5 times for him to do something. He's starting to hit (not people) things like the table, the floor, himself, toys when he gets angry and stomps in anger. He's always been a pretty great boy so this behavior has been very frustrating and it's bringing out the worst side of me. I try to do gentle parenting but that only lasts so long before I lose the cool after all day ofnthis. I'm hoping this is just a phase and he's testing limits but I'm exhausted. Just venting and hoping to hear I'm not the only one dealing with this. Please no jusgement because I already feel like a shitty mom for losing my cool. But open to suggestions.
Hey! My daughter is April 28. She is in this phase. I try to give her as much agency as possible, while still upholding expectations (safety, cleanliness, hygiene, etc.) After monitoring my daughter’s melt downs, I noticed a pattern. When my daughter really “acts out” it’s typically because of feeling rushed, feeling frustrated because of a drastic change in her routine, or wanting more attention. We can’t be perfect moms 100% of the time, and we can also attempt to help our kids feel like they have a say in their own lives. Try to figure out what triggers the tantrums. Also note of where they take place, as well as what time of day. Another thing I had to do was look in the mirror. I have worked on my own reactions to things. I have also modeled ways to relax when I feel frustrated. I used to abruptly go into my room when I felt overstimulated, but now I say cheerfully, “I need a break!” My daughter began doing the same thing. Hang in there mama-this is a rough season!