Question
In the last few weeks, our 3 year old has started having horrible tantrums that last an hour -plus. We have just recently starting using Dr. Rosemond's method of putting him in his room when he starts the tantrum but I think we are doing something wrong. We have turned around the lock and when he hits/kicks/bites/pulls hair/etc, we put him in his room and lock the door. He then escalates and starts screaming. We go get him after a few minutes when he seems to have calmed down. This appears to work for the tantrums but now he does not ever want to be alone in his room. Right now, it's 9pm and he will not go to bed. The last two nights he has woken up and would not go back to sleep until I went with him into the guest room and cuddled up. It was the only way either of us were going to get sleep past 3am. What are we doing wrong? This technique seems to have instilled a fear in him that really worries me. He has never had a problem going to bed and never been afraid to be alone in his room. It seems like this technique has brought out new fears and it really concerns me. But, I'm not sure how else to get the tantrums under control. When I picked him up from school today, he had a tantrum and slapped me in the face, followed by several more hits and kicks over the course of an hour and a half. It took me and another mom to restrain him to get in the car seat and that took a solid 15 to 20 minutes. Tonight, after our usual reading and rocking, he is refusing to go to bed and clinging to my leg when I try to leave the room. My husband is trying now because I had to walk away after an hour. Please help..we are at a complete loss.
