I was just wondering if there were any other moms out there feeling the strain of having a high maintenance 3 year old.  My son takes all of my energy and I feel I am always raising my voice and yelling "no!" He is constantly into everything for instance, he likes to put my scrubs in the toilet, climb onto the counters and the oven, he throws and dumps everything he can get his hands on, runs in the road and tries to climb into the drainage ditch, he is very resistant to potty training and he wont eat anything except chicken nuggets and junk.  I feel anxious all the time and that I am doing something wrong. Can someone give me some pointers.  I seem to have done ok with my kindergardner, but this one is testing my sanity! 

hi janell, my name is teresa, and a am pretty much in the same situation as you with my three year old son. i have always believed in spanking/ (and do.) my son is "special needs". he does listen to me about 50% of the time, and that is with the help of his preschool, (that is somehow able to "get through to him", the things i havent been able to.) (thank God for them!!!!!!!!!!!!!) i think with these two factors are whats making the difference with my son. i know "time- outs dont work with him. he thinks its "just a break time". i am stuggling though with the potty training as well though. one day i know he will get it though! good luck honey, and God bless you! 

Hi Janell, My name is Lisa and am in the same situation but mine is with a 3 year daughter. I have tired everything and I don't know what to do with her half of the time its like she knows when and how to push my buttons all the right time. My daughter is stuggling with the potty thing too.

Hi Janell, my name is Jackie . I have a 2.5 yr old son .  You are not alone in what you are going through.  I have the same issues with my son. He can be a challange at times. There are times I feel like pulling my hair out . I am a SAHM. Sleep has always been an issue since the moment he was born. It has gotten slightly better but there are those nights where he wakes up 1-2 times  at night ...which he did last night . Naptime has become impossible too . I am tired and frustrated. I find it hard to get the simplest of tasks done around the house when he won't nap . I don't believe in spanking and refuse to do so no matter how angry I get. I put my son on timeouts . I explain to him why he is in a timeout before and after his time is up, then I ask him to say sorry for whatever it was he did and not to do it again . It does work sometimes. I think consistancy is the key . Hang in here !

Some great book recommendations: Raising Your Spirited Child and The Explosive Child. Once my husband and I realized that our son's high maintenance behavior wasn't "normal", we had to learn how to approach raising him. Between these books, pre-school and our instinct, we have been able to re-work our parenting. I think it is working, because our lives are a bit more calm. But I know what you are going through. 

It wouldn't hurt to talk to your pediatrician about it, too.
Good luck!