Re: Child Issues - Need Help.
I watched a program that aired in the US called "Super Nanny" and she addressed the issue of sleeping so nicely. The child in the program was nuts about sleeping but within a few days, she had the child straightened out. This is how she handled it. Put the child in bed, soft lights and NO other stimulus - no toys etc for the child to get excited over. Bed, blankets and soft lights, maybe a cuddle toy. Sit on the floor next to the bed with your back turned so the child knows you'r there but DO NOT make eye contact with the child, do not talk or pay attention to the child. When the child gets up, quietly put him back to bed without talking or making eye contact. Once the child has been quietly in bed for about 30 min, move closer to the door. Repeat as necessary. The parents in the program had a few very, very long nights but by the 3rd night, they could put the child to bed and just walk out of the room.
As far as the hyperactivity etc....3 is a really, really tough age and my middle son went thru the same thing. We discovered that he really wasnt getting enough attention. 3 yr olds need constant attention, positive reinforcement and love. Really constant. My boy was much like yours but in addition, he was biting his fingernails to chopmeat and having major tantrums. My eldest boy has some troubles so its necessary to give him much attention and my middle boy was getting less. Once we figured that out and started giving him more, he improved by leaps and bounds. He also outgrew the horrible stage of "being 3" (I think 3 is MUCH worse than the so-called "terrible 2's!!!". He no longer bites his nails and no longer has the tantrums. At age 3, they're old enough to listen so when he's doing something wrong, find something else that he would enjoy doing (re-direction). This works wonders although it can be very tiring at first. But in the long run, its well worth the effort. Also, when he's having troubles listening or having a tantrum, calmly tell him that you dont understand him when he's being too loud and crying. So stop crying, tell me whats wrong and we'll fix it together. That works like a charm, especially once he sees that things actually DO get fixed when he doesnt cry, whine or scream.
I hope this helps....I know its a really tough thing to go thru, but it DOES get better!