I have failed ...

[SarzWix]

What Nicos said....

When mine were on the brink of being throttled, a walk usually saved their life and my sanity....

[Polly Fouracre]

Oh, nice one Seasprout!! Seriously though, if I were looking after such a child (and he IS a child) I would forget about housework etc. and take him for a long, long walk, looking at things on the way. Sing songs together, tell stories and even at this time of year a picnic is fun.
He sounds like one bored and troubled little man and , like bored dogs, exercise is the thing.
My younger son was a nightmare at that age and, thinking that coloured sweeties were to blame, gave him chocolate as a treat, only to find that the theobromine in chocolate was the trigger for his violent behaviour. Lack of chocolate and plenty of exercise and he is now ,at thirty, a calm and lovely person. (In fact as soon as chocolate was taken away, he was a different child)
By the way, he can eat chocolate now with no ill effects.

[Polly Fouracre]

Just had a thought, how quickly we forget things! Number three grandson was such a nightmare that he was expelled from the child-minders for his anti-social behaviour. In fact nobody but a Granny could have loved him!
Given his dreadful delivery, forceps, suction, hour after hour, his poor little face black and blue, his head like jelly and the dreadful pain every time he was moved, someone suggested cranial osteopathy carried out by a professional paedriactic osteopath when he was three years old. Bless that person! After only half a dozen treatments a quiet, calm and loving little boy emerged! The osteopath told us that the plates of the skull were mis-alligned and causing pressure on the brain and that had she seen him shortly after birth one treatment would have sufficed.
She also reccomended this treatment for all newly born babies who have had a long and hard birth.
Two Sheds, this may be worth looking into?

[SarzWix]

Chocolate and children do NOT mix, in my opinion. (Would you give toddlers a cup of coffee? It's the same thing!!!) I NEVER let them have it, and can tell within seconds if the OH has caved in and given them it while they're out. The eldest (14) isn't too bad now, but still gets a fit of the grumps when the choc wears off....

[FionaH]

I have laughed so hard at some of the suggestions. My youngest was a "live wire" from an early age. Nothing worked for long, long walks left him tired and irritable, removal of chocs and colours helped but triggered HUGE tantrums Naughty step just didnt happen.

Oh and he went hyper on piriton!

Nailing the little begger to the ground just about worked

Hes much more laid back these days, cos he is nearly 16 and nearly nocturnal.

Just thank the Gods hes not yours Two Sheds and you can hand him back

[janeyo]

My youngest had cranial osteopathy, was a total waste of monry. I'd have bene better spending it on drink to calm myself down!

he was c-section birth, early and was always tensed up and stressy, and poised as if for flight. And he cried constantly if he was awake, which even now at 18months is only for about 5 hours a day. Consultant at normal hospital has come to the conclusion he is just mega-lazy and grumpy! If he's this lazy now I guess we will never see him once he hits puberty, lol. I still say if he'd been first there would not have been a second. Is putting me right off having a third!

But I do know some people who have said that the Cranial Osteopathy is a life saver.

janeyo

[Polly Fouracre]

Janeyo, as your baby was C-section the mis-allignigning of the cranial plates wouldn't have been to blame so the C. osteopathy wouldn't have made any difference. I would say that his problem will resolve itself with time. Meanwhile keep him busy, wear him out.
They do say that children like him are very intelligent and therefore need more stimulation and occupation!

[craftyslh]

My daughter as just done work experience at the Anglo European College of Chiropractic in Bournemouth (she wants to be a chiropractor), they treat loads of babies and children, many referred by Health Visitors for colic and crying and behaviour issues, it was amazing, she helped with a baby and young girl. This is a growing area of alternative treatments and is having amazing results.

I could never give my DD chocolate after 5pm or she'd get hyper. Strongly suggest that diet is part of the problem. Check whether you are giving aspartame (artificial sweetners) in food and drink, this stuff is horrid. Give loads of healthy foods and exercise in fresh air, will be like knockout drops.

Get all the pans and wooden spoons out and have a kitchen orchestra session.

[HeyWayne]

I was reading a book earlier - about the first year of babies, and it said something along the lines of "remember when your baby is banging that pot against the wall they are simply discovering the world around them - learning how heavy it is, how much effort it takes to lift, what noise it makes when it hits the wall..."

I do hope I can maintain that frame of mind when the time comes.

[janeyo]

The man who did the manipulation did say he could feel that he needed it, but then again I guess he would as a private practioner! It was recommended by the health visitor in the first place. We were so desperate to not see him scream all the time we would have tried anything!

He is certainly a little character... and totally different to my other son, although they look identical. I guess we were spoilt with the first as he was such an easy baby. He once went for 28 days as a tiny baby without crying! I made a note as we were so amazed.

I have found through teaching that weather has a lot to do with children's behaviour, windy and rainy and they are wild! Although studies have shown it's not true. Any teacher will tell you the same. And don't even get me started on how they get if it snows lol.....

HW - my OH had NO patience when we first had children, now he is a model of it! Well, he's much better than he was, esp when I remind him that the baby is only 18 months and the other one only 4!

janeyo

[Two_Sheds]

When mine were on the brink of being throttled, a walk usually saved their life and my sanity....

I walked him yesterday for 2 hours ... he dragged his feet, then ran ahead, ran off, didn't come when called - he did my head in!

I didn't give him any sweets or drinks other than water (he likes it better than squash).

He is just naughty

[Two_Sheds]

take him for a long, long walk, looking at things on the way....even at this time of year a picnic is fun.

you're kidding right? It's four degrees out there
we had a 2 hr nature walk yesterday ... see above post

[Two_Sheds]

Number three grandson was such a nightmare that he was expelled from the child-minders for his anti-social behaviour.....

She also reccomended ...treatment for all newly born babies who have had a long and hard birth.
Two Sheds, this may be worth looking into?

He had a really easy birth ... popped out within an hour.

Last term his nursery told his mum that he had ADHD ... I said no, as I have worked with lots of ADHD and autistic children - and this one is just willful and naughty!

[HeyWayne]

He is just naughty

Oh come on, he must have some sort of label?

[Two_Sheds]

Check whether you are giving aspartame (artificial sweetners) in food and drink, this stuff is horrid. Give loads of healthy foods and exercise in fresh air, will be like knockout drops.

Nope and nope.
This is what he had to eat and drink:

boiled eggs and toast, butter (he took 2 hrs to feed himself)
water to drink
chicken, sweet pepper and cheese in a wholemeal pitta
water
pasta with cheese on, carrots

He had chocolate cake after his dinner, but we'd had a whole day of rioting before he had that. And he was reasonably settled after dinner, sat and read some bedtime stories with me and fast asleep by 8pm.

I don't think his diet is to blame ... he's just NORTY!