Anyone else have a three year old and want to run away for the weekend?

Question

I have found thatr the three's are far worse than the two's. The two's I can handle. The three's are making me crazy. She does whatever she wants, no matter how much I protest. I feel like I am loosing control of her and I don't know how to stop it. She throws things and hits her little sister. She is constantly bouncing off the walls. But she is only like this with me. She is an angel when her dad is home and she is an angel when she is with my parents. Is anyone else going through this with their three year olds? Could it be because I am a stay at home mom and she is used to me? I do all the same punishments as the rest of the family, it just seems to mean less when it comes from me.

Answer 1

The stay-at-home parent is always the "bad guy". She ignores you not because she disrespects you but because she is totally secure in your love -- she knows you're not going anywhere. Try to take that as a compliment on days when you feel like running screaming through the streets (as I certainly did when my kids were small, LOL). By the time my husband would come home they would be playing quietly, polishing their little halos, and my husband thought I was crazy for saying they had been "difficult". Frustrating, isn't it?

Three is not only old enough to reason but old enough to articulate and argue, but not old enough to figure out that there are more ways to get what you want than by temper tantrums and bullying. Ai yi. You are just going to have to be patient, firm and consistent, even as she escalates her antics. No=no=no, no matter what she pulls next.

You will do fine; you're obviously very aware of the parameters of the problem. Give yourself credit; she'll outgrow this before you know it (and be arguing with you about borrowing the car, LOL).

Answer 2

Your little girl sounds like my little girl use to be and can still be at times....She drove me nuts and smacks did not work so I used the time out chair and what ever I said I had to stick to it no matter what..otherwise she would win once again....I also made a point of saying positive things all the time to her not just when she did right but all the time...it is hard work but worth it in the end... Work out a plan and stick to it no matter what........Also check out Dr Phil on the net he has some really good ideas also....also some foods use to set my girl off worse, and boy was that hard, so take everything into consideration and do what is best for you..I just hope I or someone will be able to help with some good advice as I Know exactly what you are going through and every child is so different, you just have to work out what is best for you and your beautiful girl and stick to it and just love her,and cuddle her constantly as they pick up on our tension even if it is them that is causing it....All the best.

Answer 3

My daughter is only 1 right now. But I have a niece and nephew that are 3 and I want to run away when I'm only around them for a day!

I know it sounds horrible, butI have no idea how my brother and sister put up with them! they are just mouthy and mean most, if not all the time!

Other times they are caring, which seems to make up for the rest of it though! Hang in there, I hear it get easier. I still have another 2 years until I'm pulling my hair out!

Answer 4

My son is three and i want to run away everyday my niece is 20 months old.she is a angel around her dad so i make sure she knows i am not scared to punish her in front of him because i am the adult she is the child as for my son when he is at school he is an angel but with me is misbehave so i put him in the corner to face the wall until he says he is sorry or he goes to his room and i plugged out the TV and take is games away it is slowly working because he says mommy is mean now and daddy and auntie is nicer

Answer 5

I agree 3 is much worse than 2. Every 18 months to 2 years a child will reteast it's boundaries. Just keep doing what your doing and It will get easier in time. It'll just be a big rollercoaster of banging your head against the wall. Just think only 15 more years til she'll move out.

Good luck!!!

Answer 6

I have always said it is not the terrible twos, it should be the terrible threes. At two, you tell them no and they listen, at 3 you tell them no, and they tell you no right back. She must learn that she cannot under any circumstances hurt her sister. She probably gets a rise out of you, and sometimes any attention is better than no attention to a child. You must tell her what the limits are with the appropriate 'punishment'. If she tests the limits, there is no discussion it's on to the 'punishment'. Good Luck, and it does get better, however, watch out for the teen years.....start stocking up on Valiums now......(just kidding).

Answer 7

This may sound a little crazy but my daughter just turned 5 and I swear by the super nanny show believe it or not we have used several of her technique and they did work. my girl is like an only child her older brothers are 18 & 20. Very spoiled

Answer 8

i know what you are going through my 3 year old daughter is out of hand i have tried every punishment there is to try and nothing works i don't have any suggestions because I'm still trying to learn all i can say is good luck and your not the only one with this problem wish you the best of luck

Answer 9

it's you

your mistake
is that you're expecting this one
to be like the other

she requires more attention
because that's her temperament
she needs
1) more things to engage her
2) more of your hands-on time
(sorry)

plus,
children are not stoopid
talk to her about your feelings
of frustration
and how you love her
and see that sometimes
you and she get upset with each other

tell her your reality
that you want
everything that's good and fun and best for her
but, that sometimes it can't be all about her
that she's going to have to wait her turn

she's in a habit of communicating w/you by anger & acting out
and, you can't expect her to do a 180 right away
but, you haven't been honest with her
of course, you haven't understood her yet, either
that's why you've been at cross purposes w/her

also,
she needs more of your time
and sole attention
it's just the way it is

the reason behind her unpleasantness w/you
is that she is frustrated
by her inabiity to communicate with you about what
she's feeling and what she needs
and, you're the one who is most like her
you're the one (and she knows this)
who is best able to help her
best able to identify w/her
best able to connect w/her

g'luck

Answer 10

I totally agree that 3 is worse than 2. You say you discipline her, but you must be consistent. My daughters both outgrew this wild time. Just try to be patient.