Why does he have to be so defiant? It's making me crazy!

[elwalters77]

My 3 year old is IMPOSSIBLE lately! 

I'm pregnant, diabetic, on depression meds and very stressed out which is affecting my health, so I've been taken out of work for a short medical leave until my blood sugars even out.  The problem is, by the end of the day, my son has me stressed in a different way than work. 

He is defiant.  He refuses to pick up, use the potty, go to bed, eat anything I try to feed him that's good for him, dress himself, ANYTHING.  He talks back to me saying "No" or "I don't want to" and completely disregards what I ask him to do.  He knows how to push my buttons and likes to do it. 

I get so upset by the end of the day, whether I was at work or not, because getting ready for bed is a freakin' nightmare!  He won't help get dressed, won't sit on the potty, won't brush his teeth, won't help pick up his toys. 

He TRASHES my house EVERYDAY!  He whines and delibertely disobeys me.  He refuses to nap and takes hours to go to sleep at night. 

Bedtime is never without a temper tantrum and then usually a Mommy melt down by the time he actually is in bed. I feel so overwhelmed once I finally get him to bed and look around at my house.  Dishes to be washed, laundry to be folded, cleaning to do and NONE of it can be done until I clean up the DISASTER AREA of toys he has dumped EVERYWHERE! 

His room is even worse!  I had it organized and beautiful just a few weeks ago and now it's like I never did anything in there.  I'm not the neatest person myself and lack motivation to clean a lot of the time and this only makes it that much harder, with that much more to do. 

He is still awake now, at 10:30 crying that he wants to get out of his room!  Please tell me this will end soon!  He's getting a baby brother or sister in April and I can only imagine it getting that much worse with the change in his regular routine and family dynamic.  I just don't know what to do with him anymore.  I've tried everything and NOTHING WORKS.

[shell81]

Oct. 15, 2008 at 8:21 AM

OH wow hun we are soul sisters. All the things you said yep but a few about the kid lol mine youngest is 4 and he is a bad ass right now. Going through that stage. It will get better soon.

Sorry you are going through all this and being sick HUGS

[yvonne37]

Oct. 15, 2008 at 10:45 AM

Girl you need to calm down and just let things go... dont worry so much about the toys, as a matter of fact, put them away.. not all, leave like 5 or 6 out but the rest put them where he cant find them.. remember to clean only whats essential.. like dishes, bathroom and clothes.. take one day at a time.. he will outgrow these stages.. but meanwhile you need to not be stressing so much... I learned to let go.. if daughter wants to take her shoes or clothes off.. ok.. if she wants to eat (or not) ok.. remember he will eat when he is hungry.. yes.. it might sound lazy or un-organazed.. but your health is first... later on.. when he is bigger he will learn these things.. just try to keep it simple and dont get into it with him.. he is pushing your buttons to see your reaction.. if you dont react he will stop doing these things.. I hope things get better soon and please dont stress over when the baby is here... things will work out.. they always do.  God bless!