My toddler just frustrates me

Hayley, I am also having a problem with Liam (seriously stuborn & independent), so I bought a book called Toddler Taming.

The first issue I wanted to sort out was the getting out of bed at night. And the book reccomended this. The first time he gets out, calmly take him back to bed. The second time he does it, switch of the TV and you and hubby go chat in another room, ignore him completely.

i was spending up to 3 hours putting Liam back to bed, then when I read the suggestion, I did it.
I saw him coming, switched off the TV, picked up my knitting and ignored him, he tried to climb onto the couch next to me, I took him off and said "no sitting on the couch at sleeping time". He stood next to me for almost 45 minutes and then wandered off back to bed. I waited a few minutes then went in, told him it was sleeping time, gave him a kiss, covered him and walked out.
he tried again the next night, I ignored him, he went back to his room, and since then he stays in bed.

He has realised that he will get NO attention after bed time. (okay, just the goodnight kiss). I also do not go to him when he calls, unless I can hear he is distressed.

Then with eating, he loves his food, but does not want to sit for as long as it takes to eat a plate of dinner. So now when he gets up, I send him to his room until the rest of us have finished. Once again he gets no attention. It is kinda working, but some nights (like last night) he goes to bed hungry. Same with Brandon. they need to learn to sit still and eat and to eat at meal times. I know it sounds harsh, but they need routine and boundries to feel secure.

As far as food goes this is one thing not to stress about. As long as he knows that dinner time is at x and that will be it. He won't starve himself.

When you say you will punish him do you? One thing I find is that you can't just keep on saying no. You have to act if he doesn't listen. Naughty corner works for us as it removes him from the wrong doing like banging on the table etc.

Try to enourage positive behaviour by having a chart with stars etc. If he stays in his room he gets a star and at the end of the month he will be rewarded.

Kids are noisy at this age so this is tricky.

Hi All

I know toddlers will be toddlers but I seem to be really struggling with my monster lately. Ryan will be 3 next month and he just never ever listens to me. He will do something and I will tell him not to but he just carries on. I will warn him and tell him if he does not stop then he will be punished. This never works. I get so frustrated because he just does one thing after another that I ask him not to and he just never stops. I really loose my temper and shout at him (I know I should't) and he sometimes gets a smack on his bum. Then I feel so guilty. Even the smack does not work.

Anyone have any advice on how to handle a very busy toddler that just disobeys all the time?

I also struggle to get him to eat dinner. When I make him have a bite then he gags like he is going to vomit and I think I better not persist but he must be hungry as he has had lunch hours ago. Ryan has never been a good eater. I have tried all different types of foods and he just is so picky. This also frustrates me.

He has also taken to running out of his bedroom at night after we put him to bed. He thinks it is so funny and no matter what I do or say he just keeps doing it. I keep putting back. It takes me about 90 minutes to get him to stay in bed. He did this before when he was about 2yrs old but he stopped doing it after about a month but the last week I am struggling to get him to stay in bed again. He has an afternoon nap that lasts anywhere from 2-3 hrs. Yesterday I woke him up after he slept for 2 hrs thinking he would go to bed easier but 5 hrs later at his bedtime he just would not stay in his bedroom. I get so irritated I and I loose my temper. Also cause he makes such a noise with his hysterical laughing and screaming and he wakes his baby brother up.

Maybe I am just expecting too much from a 3 yr old.