Very emotional 4 year old

[ames_x]

Really at my wits end with my son and I feel awful about it

He's always been quite easily frustrated, he struggled to talk when he was younger and get people to understand him from a young age, but playgroup really brought him out of his shell and helped with his speech therpy.

He used to do an ear piercing scream when nobody understood him, which he has outgrown as he got older!

Now he is in nursery, going to reception in September. The past few months every day I am being told about something he has done, he cries at least 3 times a day in nursery... today for instance he cried over not being able to roll his sleeves up so got frustrated, because one of the other kids wouldnt share the magnifying glass, because he wanted me [first time this week hes cried over me] some days he is put on the time out chair in nursery, but hasnt for nearly 2 weeks as I banned him from using the wiiu for hitting another child which he has never done before! I asked him why and he got upset and said he doesnt know.

He loves nursery and has lots of friends, it is a welsh school and asked in his parents evening if he is struggling but he is picking it up perfectly

So along with the crying every day, literally cant remember the last day he didnt cry... we have the short attention span, easily distracted, doesnt listen needs to be told repeatedly like today we went to town to get him football boots. I asked him to stay by me, he didnt listen called him 4 times to come back then i tell him he didnt listen etc and he cries before i've even had a chance to tell him off!
His teacher also mentioned to us he doesnt make eye contact when being spoken to, which we didnt really notice but now im constantly telling him to look at me when being spoken to.

Sorry for the essay I just really dont know what to do! We have tried reward charts, banning him from his game/ipad etc. I'm now wondering if its worth me speaking to our doctor about his behaviour/emotions

 

[aimee-lou]

I have a 4yo who is currently going through the same phase. He's defiant and argumentative and quick to tears. He doesn't listen like get used to and he gas the attention span on a gnat! From what i see though of his friends its pretty normal and a calm consistent approach and a firm consequence when needed is how we're handling it. I'm trying to give him more opportunity to talk about his feelings and to ask for help and challenging him with workbooks and new skills like gymnastics class and things so he's not bored and getting positive attention too.

 

[PresqueVu]

I was just about to post a similar thread, I can keep an eye on this one instead

My guy its more about anger, and he's very independent and full of energy so he just needs a physical way to express his anger which at the moment is coming out in bad ways.

The most success we've had so far is to suggest when he's angry instead of hitting/kicking he can throw a pillow to the floor and jump on it. He doesn't like anything too passive - suggesting he make a cross face and tell people he's angry doesn't work. It has to be something physical.

He's VERY interested in roleplay when we tried that. We got him to pretend to be an adult and me and husband were Aiden and friend respectively and then we switched roles/actions and got him to tell us what he thought we should do and talked about right and wrong, how people feel, other ways to express frustration etc

I think that helps the understanding although whether it helps in the heat of the moment I'm not yet sure...!

 

[ames_x]

Thanks for replying, all the mums/dads as nursery say their kids are the same and its just a phase, hope it is and it ends soon

Good luck to you both xx