It seems that all I do with TRex these days is fight. He fights with me every. single. morning. I can't win. It doesn't matter how I address the morning. He fights me tooth and nail. First, he refuses to get out of bed. Then he refuses to go to the bathroom. Once in the bathroom, he refuses to sit on the potty. He then refuses to get off of the potty. Finally, he fights me about getting dressed. After that, we're pretty much golden, but he always takes the fighting to the brink, so we are constantly running late and there is no time to enjoy his happy self. And, if I make it home before bedtime, he fights me then. I can't win! And neither can he.
I try changing my tactic with him. I get him up earlier, so he has time to lounge in his bed. That doesn't work. He still fights me and then just fights with me longer because he has more time to fight with me. I try waking him sugary sweet with excitement and possibilities in the day. He just grumps and fights. I try waking him up matter of factly, telling him I don't want to fight. That sometimes works for a little while, but he still fights me. I put him to bed early the night before thinking maybe he needs more sleep, he still fights with me. I wake him up with hugs and love and slowly. He fights me. I wake him up fast with hugs and love and he fights me. I tried letting him go downstairs with the tv and get dressed and used the bathroom there, it was even worse. I've used every trick in my book and they have all failed!
Bedtime can be contained if he gets his routine and goes to bed right on time. Not early, not late. Tonight was not the night of containment.
I am so tired of fighting with him. Is this going to last until he goes off to college? I'm not ready for this yet. I thought I had until he was at least 13. Help! I don't want my only time with him to be fighting.
I know a lot of this probably has to do with him not seeing me enough. I know this. I'm working on my scatter brain issues so that I can start to get work done more efficiently, but the constant fighting with TRex just adds to my issues. Am I doomed to take my family down with me?
Nope, not going to last until college. I see you haven't read the "Living With a Four-Year Old Boy" manual!! Have you tried the "packing your suitcase and telling him how much you love him but you need to get away" ploy? Oh, and when he decides to pack his suitcase and leave let me know. I have the answer to that as well.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
It's probably a phase that he's going through. I've had months of constant fighting with my kids, and then out of the blue, they'll turn into lovey-dovey, adorable, obedient children and stay that way for awhile. Then they'll go back to demon spawn ;). It really sucks when they're in that disobedient, fighting stage, but it truly won't last forever (or even until college).
ReplyDeleteI am with my almost 4yr old all the time, and he still fights with me about everything. It's hopefully just a phase. Mine spends about 6 mos being evil and 6 months being sweet and cooperative, with a few evil days thrown in for excitement.
ReplyDelete