I need some advice on how to handle my out of control four year old. I have an 11 year old, I never had these problems with him (he’s very moldable). My four year olds pediatrician calls it middle child syndrome (I swear there is a syndrome for everything). Some of the things he does are… To put it lightly, he is very ruff with other children especially my oldest. He doesn’t share. He doesn’t listen and he talks back really bad. I fear he has bulling tendencies. He starts pre-school this September and I already feel bad for his teacher. He is a very stubborn child he argues with me, I never would accept this from any of my children, but like I said my four year old is out of control. One thing that really concerns me is… One time my husband was watching a war movie and someone got shot (it was pretty gory (yes, I yelled at my husband for having it on)), well my four year laughed. This can’t be normal. I never let my children watch stuff like that, I always have children channels on.
I love him with all my heart as I do with all three of my children. I love on him all the time, because I don’t want him to feel like the middle child. He is my and my husbands’ first child together and my husband spoils him and lets him get away with murder (we also have a 2 yr old daughter who will be three soon, my husband also has an 11 yr old from a previous marriage). I am the disciplinarian. As children we were always spanked when we were bad and now it seems as though it is un-acceptable to spank your child. Time out is so hard to do with him but I attempt it. How do I help him? Does anyone else have these problems? Is this normal behavior from a “middle child”? I want to hear all opinions even if it criticism, I want to hear it.