Help with behaviour

When the GD was 1 we went to a couple of the local playgroups but to be honest they were a bit too feral for my liking. A friend of my son in law and another family friend work at the daycare centre, so the GD goes a couple of half days a week, on the same days as another friend's daughter of much the same age. The GD's mate has been going there since she was 6 months old, so she was very much the old hand and took my GD under her little wing. I said she reminded me of Morgan Freeman's character in Shawshank Redemption, so daycare became babygaol. They're nice people, and they've had me bring the guitar and sing a few songs for the inmates a couple of times. Jenny, the friend who works there, got the giggles the first time so I asked her if everything was ok. She said she'd half expected me to start playing Folsom Prison Blues.

PoppaRob

There's fantastic book called 'Food Fights and Bedtime Battles' by Dr Tim Jordan, which has lots of handy tips for managing feisty kids. For example, if a pre-school child hits you, simply say 'no hitting' and walk away, telling the child 'no playing with grandma when you hit.' Or, 'no hitting' and remove the child to the 'time out' step or chair for a number of minutes appropriate for their age. No discussion, just start afresh when time out is over, and you expect a cuddle and a 'sorry.' Works with my twin 3 year old grandsons, who now check out my face before deciding whether to chance hitting or not, as they know the outcome. Good luck!

I don't claim to be an expert Lizziehop2 but my immediate thought was that where I feel you may have gone wrong was by picking him up, and giving him attention, when he was behaving badly. I think he is old enough for you to walk away and say "I will talk to you when you have calmed down" and ignore the bad behaviour. Then when he had eventually calmed down I would have cuddled him and talked about how he felt and that it was sad that he couldn't go out, and talk about what you could do instead. Rewarding good behaviour and ignoring bad, I feel, is always the way to go as hard as it is. Good luck x

I've really appreciated the comments here. My GS is normally a delightful
2 1/2 year-old but is having aggressive and rude interludes. I know it's a combination of the 'terrible 2's' complicated by a wee sister of 13 months who is now mobile, wrecking jigsaws and generally making a nuisance of herself as far as he is concerned. Sometimes he can be distracted and is fine but he throws things at the baby, pushes her over and blows loud and disgusting raspberries in her face!! I'm reassured by your posts because I've been doing the thing with 'Gran doesn't like that so I won't play!' and holding up the hand! Mum has introduced the naughty chair and I think it's working too. I've been through this with my own 3 and the older GC's but I still find it difficult. I confess (on GN but nowhere else) that I find he is a joy when he comes for sleepovers with me - I don't flatter myself but I know he enjoys the 100% attention and the 'exciting' experiences I provide. I live not too far from the local Fire Station and can almost guarantee that a fire engine will go zooming past at some stage - and I claim the credit! Oh why can't he be the lovable cherub all the time??

Sorry, em, its called 'growing up'. He is exercising his power in different ways to see what works. Sibling rivalry has always been a part of family life. Your one -to-one attention is just what he needs when he has a little sister at home.

Your reference to baby-gaol poppa reminds me of a dear litlte boy I worked with who attended a Montessori nursery school. He called it MonsterStory school.