He's been a monster!!

United States
December 31, 2008 1:11pm CST
My sweet, wonderful, most affectionate little boy has been nothing but a monster since the older kids have been home from school. My toddler is usually my best behaved child. He's very smart, very sweet, and always has a way of making me laugh or surprising me with something new he has learned. He's usually very easy going and keeps to himself for the most part. He'll spend his days watching TV, or finding a toy to play with quietly by himself. There's been times he's been playing so nice and quietly, that I think he's sleeping. But with the kids out of school for vacation, it's been nothing but screaming and crying non stop, literally! He spends his day throwing horrible temper tantrums, screaming at the top of his lungs, and not listening to anything I say. Honestly there isn't a minute of the day where he's not crying and being a total brat. I yelled at him earlier and said if he doesn't stop he's going to bed, and he screamed at the top of his lungs "No Bed!!" and continued crying. That's really not like him at all. Thank goodness the other kids are back to school on Monday, and I pray my little boy goes back to being his sweet self when they go back to school. If this is a preview of what the 2 months of summer vacation is going to be like, then I'm in big trouble! Do you have a younger child who just doesn't act like themselves when your school age children are around?
3 people like this
10 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
31 Dec 08
My fiance and I don't have kids yet. It sounds like your son didn't like his older siblings being home from school. It kind of sounds as if he didn't like his mommy time being disrupted, I know you say he sits quietly most of the time, and to himself, but that doesn't mean when his sibs come home and they ask for attention the younger one doesn't get jealous. I mean, I'm not expert, we don't have children yet ourselves. I guess it's just a suggestion...
• United States
31 Dec 08
I don't think it's the mommy time, just the toy time. When the other kids are in school he can play with any toy he wants and nobody bothers him. Now the older kids are home they want to play with their toys, and he wants the same toy, so he cries and throws a fit, but the older kids don't give in. When that toy is taken away from them to stop the fight, they move on to the next toy to fight over that. They refuse the share or get along. Even if I send the older kids off to do something else, like go play in their room or go outside, the little one wants to go with them.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
31 Dec 08
Oh I actually hadn't thought of that. That must be tough, and I am sure that your older kids don't understand that the littler one just wants to be with them and play with what their playing with.
1 person likes this
@Sissygrl (10912)
• Canada
31 Dec 08
wow, sounds like he dosent' like to share his toys and he's used to just being alone and playing alone. Keds have their own little routines they get into like us i think.. so he's probably just not liking it.. I bet 2 weeks into summer vaccation he'll be into a new routine, and then he'll be upset when they older kids go back to school in sept. .
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Dec 08
I doubt he'll get into a routine in the summer, lol. He just doesn't want to share, and neither do his big brothers and sister. They must just enjoy fighting and having me yell at them every few minutes.
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
31 Dec 08
My middle one is 3 and I'm noticing in the last few days that she is starting to act up too. She has been a handful since she could walk though. She is very stubborn and I swear likes to get into trouble. She has been improving the last few months but I've noticed her slipping back since her sister has been off school. I think her sister picks at her when no one is looking and makes her get all wound up. I'll be glad when school is back too. I'm dreading summer, but hopefully I can keep them busy.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
31 Dec 08
My daughter acts completely different when my son is around. She is still into everything like she is when he is not here, but she is constantly whining and crying on top of it.
1 person likes this
@cbreeze (1205)
• United States
31 Dec 08
I'm sure he'll go back to his usual little angelic self shortly after they return to school. His routine was disturbed and he's not used to sharing his time and attention with his siblings during the day. Poor little guy. They don't understand what they feel or how to communicate it at that age. The first few weeks of summer might be rough, but he should settle into a routine about that as well. Good luck.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Dec 08
LOL I usually have the opposite problem. My little 3 year old is a complete monster until the older kids are around. Then he is just as sweet and well behaved until he just poops out and goes to sleep. While we are home together he gives me hell! He is really cute, which I have come to learn is God's way of making sure the human race continues.
1 person likes this
@cbreeze (1205)
• United States
31 Dec 08
Ha ha ha. I've always figured God made babies cute for that reason too.
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
1 Jan 09
i don't have any kids yet at the moment... but i think your younger son behaves in that way because he demands attention from you... when your older children are at home, you have to split your attention between your children and i think your younger child is getting jealous... that's why he starts to misbehave just to attract your attention... take care and have a nice day...
@gemini_rose (16264)
1 Jan 09
Yeah my daughter is the same when my boys are off school, she turns into a monster, I guess she feels differently when they are at home with her! Once they have been off a day or two she settles down again and goes back to normal.
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
1 Jan 09
My son is 3 and 1/2 years older than my daughter and these things used to happen to us too. I think that she was jealous that she had to "share" mommy with him and also that she really liked her alone time to play by herself. He was invading "her space"! I can SO relate. My son, on the other hand was so happy to be home and able to play with her that he couldn't understand her need for space. I would have to tell him to play by himself for awhile to give her a break. She would hang out in her own room then and sort of recover enough to come out and play again with him.
@Polly289 (269)
• New Zealand
1 Jan 09
To put it bluntly, someone is needling him. He's probably picking up on things his siblings are doing or saying. That does happen. I do feel your angst. My youngest was exactly the same as your little man. Don't get me wrong, he is still a lovely child but when his sisters are at home all they do is bicker at him and he's learned to sound exactly like them. Naggy, whingy and whiney. Oh for the early days when they were ours and ours alone. There is definitely something to be said for bonding and it is really sad when all that goes because they grow up. Your little man is growing up and learning about the world outside his little house. Bless you and have a Great New Year!!!