Our son, is 2-1/2, has a delay (speech and communication) but is very advanced in other things. He's usually pretty good but for the last 2 weeks he's been very devilish. My wife stays home w/ him, takes him to school for his speech two days a week, play group one day a week and plays w/ him often. What is funny is that he'll want you to "PLAY" with him but when you go to he just wants you to "HANG OUT" and doesn't usually want you to "PLAY". He does like it when I help him build w/ his blocks, legos, mega bloks and playdoh.

Over the last two weeks he's been causing havoc to "get attention". However, it's not the good kind of attention. These are things we already "TAUGHT" him not to do (touch the tv, receiver, refrigerator, spit out your drink, etc.)

My wife and I are at our wits end. Any suggestions to parents who never had to discipline or punish very much because we never really had to. Everyone tells us how well behaved he is. They might think different of they actually witnessed how he has been acting.

We are wondering if he's acting out because we moved him to his NEW room to make room for the new baby which should be here in the next few weeks. Almost as if he's "rebelling"...

Maybe the terrible twos are just starting for our son. DOH.

Any help would be great (books, links, advice)?

Thanks.
Bill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2007 02:17PM by spacescape.

Sounds genetic to me.

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lafinfil
Sounds genetic to me.

HEY... I resemble that remark. Especially after rereading what I wrote.

Basically my son, who has a delay, is now officially entering "the terrible twos". Anyone have any suggestions?





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2007 02:32PM by spacescape.

For us, and many other parents I know, the terrible tws were actually the terrible threes. It shall pass.

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[www.zeemaps.com]

He's just pushing the envelope to see which things are "really" not allowed. Every kid's "terrible twos" starts at a different time ... we're on our third "terrible twos" with our daughter and she is by far the toughest so far (we've got one more to survive after her as well).

Give it a year or so ...

Little Poochie is 4 and he generally behaves himself with Mom until I get home and he starts pulling the same crap. We just think that he gets overexcited because the Good Cop has arrived home.

I admit that his behavior has decreased slightly with age, so you have that to look forward to.

mine started a few months ago -- got a "i hate you daddy" a couple of weeks ago -- then got a "i love you daddy" the next day

go figure

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

Welcome to the party. Our soon to turn 3 year old also seems to be regressing a bit.

It's especially noticeable in the way he treats our 10 month old. He used to "lovingly" pull at his finger/toes and stuff like that. No big deal. We would tell him to "be nice" and "be gentle" with his little brother.

However, recently, he's turned a bit more aggressive towards the younger one. Pinching him, pulling his fingers and toes pretty hard, snatching toys out of his hands very forcefully. Almost every time it makes the younger one cry to the point where you can't hear any noise coming out of his mouth he's so upset!

We're not sure what's going on with this behavior as well. Apparently, he's not this bad when it's just my wife at home with them. But, when I get home from work (or on the weekends) all bets are off.

We don't know if he's just trying to get more attention, is pushing our buttons to see what he can get away with, etc., but it's driving my wife and I crazy!

Good luck!

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My music blog: [www.auditorymusings.net]


The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Advice ?
Keep your cool and enjoy the good moments. Keep to your principles and ensure safety and sanity. Remember that 'control' is something we all want to have- your little guy is starting to want to control his little part of the world. You're gonna have to give it to him, but SLOWLY.

And invest in hair dye- the grey hairs are gonna start sprouting.

I've survived all three of my children's terrible twos, twisted threes, ferocious fours, frustrating fives, stinky sixes, etc... I'm not sure we're all going to survive the teenaged years, though. My only satisfaction is that my hair is just turning silver from the stress, instead of falling or getting pulled out.

Aren't delays called "progressionally challenged" now ?


Has he learned the F word yet ?


Edit: fixed a speeling error



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2007 03:04PM by billb.

Yes...devilish kiddies are always plotting SOMETHING aren't they?


Hopefully yours is a little more laid back than this one.

Timeouts work wonders. After a few of them just the threat of a timeout keeps 'em in line.

Yup, it's the "terrible twos" alright. Ours happened at about 3-1/2 (we thought we had lucked out... he-he... the joke was on us).

Even though you "TAUGHT" him not to do those things already, he's decided to test his boundaries and see how much of a pushover mommy and daddy are. Don't let him do it! This is the point at which if you get soft he he will just keep pushing until you've created a spoiled brat.

Try giving him a "time out" when he does these things, and then explain to him that if he does it again he won't get to <do something he enjoys doing>. Then you have to follow through if he still does it! Don't threaten to take away an activity as a punishment and then cave in. And it's very important for both you and your wife to try to be on the same page. If one of you caves in, then you start to create the "good cop/bad cop" images. Don't worry if he puts up a tantrum... he's still testing you. Just stay calm and firm through any screaming & crying, and get down and talk to him at his level. We had to resort to a swat on the butt a few times, but after a while, when she realized how far we would let he go she leveled out.

Now she's 13 and we are starting to deal with the "teen years" stuff...

It's frustrating to see how some other people spoil their kids, let them get away with all kinds of crap. Those kids are going to grow up to be lousy adults.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2007 03:25PM by macbeergeek.

It's called the terrible two's because it lasts two years.

It's not the new room, it's the new baby on the way. Pay lots of attention to him. Try not to talk to your wife so much about the new baby in his presence. Instead let your son overhear the two of you talking about him. Make sure he gets some gifts when he becomes a big brother.

Don't shoot the messenger here, but calling it the terrible twos will lead to profound disappointment for you and your wife. Just call it the terribles. It will end when it ends, not because he's three or four, or 12. We're still waiting. One is 7, the other 11.

I'll bet Mike's right. It's the change in the room and the new baby. Your household will no longer rotate around your son and he senses it.

One thing we did that I think really helped was that the first time our 3-1/2 yo daughter met her brand new baby brother, my wife knew we were coming (cell phone), so when our daughter first laid eyes on him, my wife was not holding him. In our daughter's eyes, she was the first one to ever hold him. It may have helped, for awhile. Couldna' hurt. Good luck and congratulations!

I don't know if a 3 year old comprehends what it means to have a baby brother. Maybe, but i'm not certain that is the cause of his concern. It may just be coinciding with another event in your life.

At any rate, our 24 month old gets along much better with his 13month old brother now that they got some of their aggression out of the way.

And I agree, I think it's terrible twos because it lasts two years. Our two years are just on the cusp of beginning.

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Hurts like a bastid...

have you been beating him regularly?

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mrbigstuff
Our two years are just on the cusp of beginning.

So you still have cute little people.

For me, it was the terrible sixes. 6 kids, need I say more.

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billb

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mrbigstuff
Our two years are just on the cusp of beginning.

So you still have cute little people.

gawd, i love my kids. i had no idea it would be this much fun. work, yes, but tons of fun.

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Hurts like a bastid...

Take lots and lots of pictures.
Do not lose them.
When they are grown and making their own, those pics may be some of your most prized posessions.

>It's frustrating to see how some other people spoil their kids, let them get away with all kinds of crap. Those kids are going to grow up to be lousy adults.


Aye, a special thanks to parents who spoil their kids rotten. ;)