At My Limit

Just when I thought things were going pretty well at home (with the exception of Brent not being at home during normal hours), I am at my limit especially with Griffin. He has been a horror over the past two days. Part of it is that it has been raining here non-stop so we have stayed home in the afternoons. Next time I will know better.

Griffin is still refusing to nap in the afternoon. I am trying to teach him about quiet time, but that is easier said than done. HIS version of quiet time includes taking his diaper or pull-up off followed by his clothes, then climbing up and sitting in him dresser drawers, singing random songs at the top of his lungs, jumping on his bed, falling off his bed, and banging on his door. Needless to say "his" version of quiet time and "my" version of quiet time are not in line with each other at all. I go in his room to remind him to be quiet, but it ultimately becomes a game of him trying to run and get into his bed before I get in his room. I have tried letting him have his door open (trying to give him a sense of control) so he can go potty when he needs to. This hasn't worked. I have tried closing his door but then he bangs when he needs to go potty and wakes Gray up. I have tried a visual timer to help him stay in his room for a certain period of time. This works, but that darn timer only goes up to an hour:) So yesterday I took some of his toys away and told him that he needed to earn them back. Every time I went in his room, he lost a toy. The problem is that this set him off and he is so over-tired that he just LOST IT. I mean he starting running at and butting into his door until it sounded like it would break. He started throwing things at me. It is such a hard situation because Griffin and I were both yelling and Gray just starts crying because he doesn't understand what is going on. I have tried spanking Griffin but that just seems to make it worse. I just don't know what to do. I really feel like he needs some down-time (and I definitely do) and sometimes he needs a nap too. I know some people let their kids watch a video during quiet time, but I don't want to reward him for not taking his nap. And he won't be quiet even during a video. He just wants to talk to me the entire time. I love him, but it is just so frustrating. Any ideas?

Yesterday I finally told him that he needed to get away from me and give me some space. When Brent came home last night, he went in to have a talk with Griffin. Brent said he was trying to be positive about how tomorrow would be better, and Griffin looked at him and said, "Daddy you just need to give me some space".