Argh! At wits end

wont hurt to get him checked out. kids cant really tell where a pain is coming from so it could be his throat that is sore. i think it is about this age they start testing boundaries and pushing limits.

Wow SpecialK sounds like we have the same child...maybe it's a May baby thing lol
I"d get him checked out just to be sure, but it sounds like being naughty. I can't leave Clodagh alone with Scarlett or she rides her, force feeds her and takes her nappy off. Charming really.
Get out as much as you can, find a way of disciplining that works for you- ours is time out and giving one of Clodaghs toys to Scarlett- and then stick to your guns. And drink loads of coffee and try to rest as much as possible.
I hear ya, I hear ya, I hear ya!!!

Totally a stage. Gabrielle was absolutely terrible at that point and I truely wondered if it was my terrible mothering skills But she did come out of it, although not before we had some very embarassing meltdowns in very public places.

I use a combination of Nigel Latta and Dianne Levy strategies. I try very hard to make her problem her problem so for example if she doesn't eat dinner I don't comment I just tell her we have the one bite rule and no getting down till she has a bite, then send her to bed hungry. I've lost count of the amount of nights she goes to bed with no dinner but I keep my cool, she knows I mean business and she gets to experience the natural consequence of not eating what is put in front of you, which is hunger.

Dianne Levy says its important to win the first 3 battles of the day. So no matter how tired or busy I am I always make extra effort on the things that happen first thing in the morning. I use the Ask Tell Act strategy - ask "please pick up your toys" then tell - go over and say "pick up your toys now", then act which for me is to pick her up and put her in her room and tell her she needs to think about doing what she is told and she can come out when she is ready to do what she is told. I don't do time out as such (its not for a specific period of time) its thinking time in that she can not come out till she is ready to do whatever I have asked. This works well for us because time out seems to wind her up something chronic and her behaviour gets worse, and she was crying and make herself hysterical. Thinking time works in that it removes her from the situation and she comes out when she is ready to be compliant. Dianne Levy said to not think of it as a punishment - its more of a way to get compliance. So it doesnt involve a power struggle which I kept getting caught up in with her. And it does get compliance, usually in under 3 minutes, and has the added bonus that neither of us yell or cry.

Physical violence is a big no-no in our house so anything like that gets instant bedroom time for 2 minutes and then thinking time starts if she refuses to say sorry to the person.

Hope some of that helps. Its not an easy phase but it will pass. The joy of 2 year olds!

Definitely a phase, but also I would get his mouth checked out just in case.

We had this and are coming out of it now. I also found the best thing was to try not to get too worked up about it yourself. Sometimes this involves a big, deep breath and forcing a smile on your face. Day sleeps were dropped and I got "I don't want to have a nap!", she got told "that's fine you don't have to sleep but you have to stay in bed" (she would end up sleeping anyway otherwise plays in her bed for 1hr). At dinner we get "I don't want dinner", I say "that's fine" but still make it for her and put it on the table and she always ends up sitting up when we do and eating.

The other thing I found great was giving her LOTS of warning that something was going to happen. If we went to the shops I would tell her what we were going to get while still in the car and constantly reinforce 'this is what we are doing then we are going home'. At the park, or in the bath she gets a 5min warning that we are going to leave, then 4,3 etc, or 2 goes down the slide. This means that things aren't a surprise and they have time to process what's happening.

Ooo, and giving them choices that still get the result you want eg "do you want me to put you in the chair or do you want to do it all by yourself?", "do you want to eat a pea or a carrot?"

Good luck!