Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggghhhhhhhhhh !!!! My lovely natured, quiet girl has turned into a mini "Kevin" !! Literally overnight she has turned defiant, mischievous, moody and really demanding. I think this must be payback for when I was a toddler

It is so difficult disciplining her. I'm always calm yet firm with her but she still seems to test the limits that bit further. I'll be grey by christmas.

Please tell me this is normal (ish)

yes normal. Rowan has started doing the most annoying thing ever. If i ask him to do something or move over he just stares at me

oh dear, very clever of him though From what I've read about this stage it seems that frustration plays a big part in the tantrums and naughtiness, plus they are testing the boundaries xx

yesssssss, you'll find she'll cry or get angry when trying to do something and if you offer to help she'll get worse.

I've learnt to ask Rowan if he's ok and let him ask me if he wants help, which is usually him moaning and saying i cant do it mummy help me please.

its just keeping calm and explaining things but simply. and letting her work through it, or if rowan was using a shape sorter or a puzzle i'd say oh turn it right it might fit that way

HAS oops it been since she has been poorly meg???

since she started playschool Jo. She is brill in playgroup, it's just when she gets home. I think maybe she has found her independance at playschool and is testing me xx

Hmmm I think preschool has ALOT to answer for, Libby has become exactly the same since starting preschool!!!

Every day that she comes home she is a little monster, she'll hit us, throw things, say NO! to everything we ask her to do, scream to scare Dexter on purpose etc. On the days she's not there she is so much better behaved! I'm dreading the new year as shes there everyday then

It is normal and unfortunately I really dont think there's alot you can do apart from ignore bad behaviour and reward good (I know easier said than done sometimes though).

Sounds like it, A is very good at ignoring me lately like Rowan. i would just say stick to your guns its normal at this age. do you count her out? we give Alice to 3 and then step her, after a while we dont get to 3. she has been a sod today yelling no at me when i ask her to do something, too tired today to be arsed with it so have been crabby back with her which i know is no good i just CBA with anything today to

hope things get better soon megster! (BTW have only just seen your other post)

Totally normal. Caelyns latest is 'Mummy dont you tell me!' and corking tantrums. Shes actually better on school days though I find and tiredness plays a massive massive part. Ive had to put her to bed today and shut the door til she screamed herself to sleep as she was doing her contrary 'Im going to ask for something til I get it then throw it away cos I dont want it' trick which drives me potty.

Im trying to keep step use minimal as I could cheerfully have her on there all day sometimes and work on distraction and keepig her calm as she responds better if I manage to speak to her slowly, quietly and gently (easier said than done and ive yelled at her a few times then felt horrendous after) and get her into a better frame of mind too but omg im gonna be glad when this stage is over. I agree its deffo frustration for them as they want to control their life a bit more but dont know how

Best of british

I have to say it sounds about right for her age hun and it will get better, or so I've been told by all my friends who's kids are in school. Tiredness is a MAJOR factor with Amelia too. If she's tired she just goes into melt down and there's nothing I can do to cajoul or console her. Could it be that she's more tired after pre-school? Could trying to get her to nap afterwards help a little bit? Amelia goes to bed early before and after nursery and that seems to help a ton! Also mention her behaviour to her key worker and discuss how you'd like her to be disciplined in order to maintain consistancy. x