I need parenting help, I'm about to lose it over here. Over the past week or so, my normally better-behaved-than-average child has turned into someone I can hardly recognize. She is throwing tantrums like she didn't even when she was 3. She's started getting up in the middle of the night and waking me and my boyfriend up, claiming she can't get back to sleep, but she's not even trying (she gets up to go potty, and then comes straight to our bedroom). And these middle of the night wakeups turn into giant crying and screaming sessions that last 1-2 hours, with her refusing to go back to sleep, no matter it I leave her room or if I stay with her. She literally screams at the top of her lungs "HELP ME!!!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!" She wants me to help her fall asleep, but she refuses to calm down and just works herself up more and more.Being nice and trying to soothe her has done nothing, only makes her seek attention more and get more clingy. Lately I have been little by little taking things away as punishment. Over the weekend she wasn't allowed to watch TV, and she had to skip a brunch we had planned (we dropped her off with grandparents). As of this moment, most of her favorite toys are taken away. It only seems to make it worse though. Every time she has another tantrum and I take something else away, she screams and screams. I thought I'd give her the opportunity to earn them back with good (or at least not horrible) behavior, but that doesn't seem to be happening.I am 99% sure that she is acting out because of the impending baby (due in June). She's trying to get attention, albeit negative, even though she doesn't realize that's what she's doing (I tried asking her). I have tried including her in baby related stuff, in hopes of easing this. I have solicited her opinion on names, she's going to cut the gender reveal cake, she likes to feel the baby move, etc. IDK what else to do. I'm at the end of my rope with exhaustion from being woken up every night and screaming matches.Help! Any ideas? Parenting articles/books, anything? I'm desperate to help her resolve her anxiety and get back to our routine. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2lNYcMU
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