I would ask also if there is any chance of pregnancy? It sounds like your hormones might be out of whack. Alternatively, have you recently gone through any major changes in your life? Could it be trauma related in some way?

As the others are encouraging, I would encourage you to see your GP about a referral to a psychologist. I have done this myself recently as I was in a kind of similar situation. As others may know, I seperated from my ex on Valentine's Day this year and took my 2 year old daughter with me whilst my 16 year old decided to stay with Dad. Because of my high stress levels and various other factors, I found I was 'taking it out' on my little girl. The thing is, it took my step-father to point out something obvious to me:

Children are very sensitive creatures. If they sense something is not right, they will do all sorts of things that do not appear to make any sense to us 'adults'. They may be attention seeking because you are distracted, they may be simply trying to get your attention because they are bored and they indeed be 'feeding' off us, ie, when we get mad, they reflect it right back and get mad themselves; when we yell, they do too as it's obviously acceptable.

So, you've taken the first step. Now, take the next one and go to your GP. Try to get a friend or family member to take care of your little one when you go, if possible, as it's not an easy subject to raise at the best of times, let alone when the little terror (wink!) is in there with you.

Best of luck and BIG HUGS,

Kelly

It is better to look like you are getting help than to have someone in the street report it and look like your hiding something. no one will punish you for trying to get help.

I quickly turn into angry mum if i'm tired.  Can I ask, before you go and try any medication, that you look realistically into if you are getting enough "quality" sleep. that means sleeping a decent >8 hours, not waking through the night with your mind racing.  

The other thing I find is  "live a little". Go, take your daughter to a park and be crazy. Go on the slides, rides, toys etc and fake having fun. Keep doing it until you are actually having fun. Sometimes as we get older we forget how to have fun. We forget how to be a kid and that kids see joy and humour in the smallest things. If you can get a sense of that back, maybe you won't be so quick to jump to anger. Maybe you will see things more through your daughter's eyes and make the things she does that lead you to anger into a new game. 

Tears at others' tears and sad movies and stuff - tell me about it. I was stoic until I had my daughter. The trick here is to learn to accept that you now feel emotion more than before you had your child.  it's perfectly fine. if you accept that, it will make it easier. and once you accept that you can feel emotion so strongly, find the emotion of joy and give in to it. It makes day to day life with a testing 3yo much, much more enjoyable :)

ps. If your child is constantly testing you with being silly or tantrums, consider the fact that you have a bright kid. She's already trying to outsmart you :) it's up to you who wins :)

Hi  There,

This is a horrible situation, don't dispair, go and see a Doctor.  You won't regret it.  You obviously love your daughter very much, hence your turmoil, but as you said "you can't explain it" so go and see someone who can.   They are there to help.  If you would prefer try a qualified natropath.  Good luck, you aren't alone out there, seek help. Kirra

sounds like me when my daugther was about 2. I lost the plot. (BTW mastercheif makes me cry too when other ppl do, specially last night when Julia had to kill that fish)

Anyhoo. I would sugest seeing your gp and get tested (20Q's) for PND and then look into seeing a councilor. through your gp it is covered by medicare and can be free. you get up to 18 sessions a callender year. He/she may give you some calming medication for a few months as well or a mild anti depressant which will do the same.

They wont take your child off you, unless your house is in total squollar, no food and there is abuse. even still they will help you as much as they can as they dont like taking kids from their natural parents unless there is a absolute reason.

Also rule out pregnacy too.

If you need someone to chat to feel free to minti mail me.

Liz

I'm in QLD too, if you need someone to talk to in confidence just send me a mail, it won't go anywhere other than between you and I.

But I assure you the doctor will not take your children off you nor will counsellors/psychs etc if you are being honest with them and seeking help. You need to get help because it's a short step from actually thinking it, to actually going through with it.

If they are only thoughts and you aren't actually leaving marks on your children, they are fed, nappy changed, washed etc then you have nothing to fear. Thoughts can be controlled and so can actions with the right therapy and/or medication.

 Hi hun,

Just a small question, could you have depression of some kind? Maybe talk to your GP.

 You have taken the first step by asking for help, don't be scared   your children will be taken away from. Take yourself off to see your doctor maybe  it is as simple as your hormones  being  out of whack but seriously if your worried about losing it with your children and hurting them....you as their Mother need to find out what the problem is  and get help before something does happen.

I can tell you are a caring and loving because your here seeking help, take that next step and seek help.

I wish you well.

I don't think it's something they'd take your kids away for, well, not straight up anyway.  The fact that you are concerned is a good sign, and I think most professionals would be keen to help you.  Removing children is a last resort.

I find that my emotions fluctuate a lot since having children.  The most noticeable time is during pregnancy - I'll cry at dog food commercials.  But I find that I am more emotionally charged and "in tune" with others' emotions, even when I'm not pregnant.

Also, my three year old drives me to distraction often as well.  A few weeks ago I realised that I was yelling much more than I liked, and was starting to be a bit physical with him - no beltings or anything, but he would make me so darned angry, I really thought I was capable of hurting him.  He just seemed to push my buttons, because he wasn't rational or logical, and I couldn't reason with him to get him to stop behaving badly.  I think that maybe I was getting a bit housebound as well, and could do with some time out. 

I spoke to my husband about it.  We talked about ways to handle him, and why he was behaving the way he was, and what my actions might do to him.  This I think was the biggest factor in helping me to develop a few strategies in dealing with my boy without going overboard.  Many times I find that he is very willing to cooperate if treated the right way.  My stress levels have dropped, and I know that if I do muck up, I can still make a fresh start.  When I start to get angry, I think about it from his perspective as a little boy who is still figuring stuff out, and I try (and try) to modify my reaction to suit the situation.  I don't always get it right, but I'm mostly better than I was.

Talking to someone who is not judgemental is the best thing for this.  A problem shared is a problem halved.  I hope that you might know someone who can sit and listen to you without being horrified or condemning you.  All mothers have moments they aren't proud of.  Just know that you can feel better, you're not stuck like this and you're not a monster.

Feel free to mail me if you want to.

this sounds like something u have probably already ruled out but ur not pregnant? Its just that i am preg with bub no 2 and that sounds just like me.

Talk to ur dr about it. Im sure that u r not hurting ur daughter and ur gp will see that to. If u talk to ur gp then they can c that u r trying to get help for this problem.