Hormonal Horrors

Given the title, you would be forgiven for thinking this post is about women. Unfortunately, it is about my boys. Two of them seem to have hit a crucial stage in their development at the same time and it is a total bloody nightmare!
I may have posted about it before but in case you missed it I'll do a quick catch up.
Big is now 12 and has turned into a teenager overnight. Everything is boring or " S'orite". The answer to every question is "Dunno" even if he bloody we does know. Under NO circumstances was it his fault and everything is funny, especially getting a bollocking from your seriously pissed off Mother.

Chaos is nearly two. Yes, I know, terrible two's it will pass la la la aaa. Actually, I might have torn all my hair out and gone officially stark raving bonkers by then. I'm serious!! Watching Chaos is like watching a woman with chronic PMT who is Bipolar and has a personality disorder. He is his normal happy and adventurous self one minute then he is clingy, weepy and slightly hysterical the next, for no apparent reason. This is a bit new to me as Big was never like this. Whether that's because I only had him to worry about or that he is just different I don't know.

Chaos has also started getting a bit pushy too. He will pull or push Squish until he falls over or snatch his toys off him. He kicks out at us while we are trying to do his nappy or throws things for no reason. The other thing is the strops. He gets really frustrated when he can't do something and throws himself about and screams like a girl. It can be a smidge embarrassing in town! I must stress, this is not his normal behavior. There have been no changes to his routine or anything else I can pin point other than my brother in law moving in and Chaos loves him.

To me he is behaving as if he is really, really overtired. That could have something to do with it as he isn't sleeping or eating so well either. Nothing seems to work at the moment so I suppose I will just have to ride out the storm.

Big doesn't really help either. He winds up Chaos then turns all wide eyed and innocent when I tell him off. I can remember doing the same thing at his age so I can relate to what he is going through. I remember my Mum telling me off for being smart but I was just being exact about what happened, not "picky". I realise now she just had more important things on her mind than whatever I was making a fuss about. Now the tables have turned, I am trying really hard (and failing) not to do the things my Mum did or said to me.

I feel sorry for Chaos during his outbursts, as he does look like he's been dumped in a world he doesn't understand. I wish I could try to explain what is going on to make it easier for him.


I had a look on the internet and all I could find was that at 2 boys have a surge of testosterone which would explain a lot of his behaviour. Also, that most "tantrums" are due to an inability to communicate their feelings or emotions. That does go a long way to eplain his behaviour although it doesn't make it much easier to cope with! I managed a brief chat with my husband last night whilst trying to settle the boys to sleep. The only thing we have come up with that might help is to try to spend time with the boys individually. Not easy as there are three of them and only 2 of us!
On Saturday one of us will take Chaos, Big and his mate to the Oasis Pool in Swindon. Chaos gets individual time swimming, which he loves. Big loves the Oasis so he will be happy and Squishy baby gets brother free time too. Hopefully it will work out well. I'm sure you'll get to hear all about it!
   
As always, any advice is very welcome. I need all the help I can get!