Help,

by Brittany
(Reynoldsburg, ohio )

I got into a relationship a year ago with a man who had a little boy who is 18months. His father has full custody of him, and his biological mom is not in his life so I stepped in and I am now taking care of him as my own, so he calls me mom. He is now 29 months.

He has become overwhelmingly hard to handle with his anger he has tantrums about 4 or 5 times a day.

He will scream at the top if his lungs, hits himself, throws himself around and just recently started raising his hands when he gets really mad like he is going to hit me... I feel his whole body tensing up when this happens.

I am with him all day and his dad is a door to door salesmen and he does not get that much time with him working 12 hour days. I feel like sometimes he resents me for that.

Most of the time he will listen to anyone but me.
I don't know what i am doing wrong. I don't have any kids of my own but have been around them my whole life.

I just don't know what to do I have tried timeout, talking to him calmly and holding him so he don't hurt himself.

He also has become hard at night he wakes up in the middle of the night and refuses to go back to sleep to the point that by the next day I am so tired especially dealing with his tantrums i have my moms help during the day but i feel bad having to need her help.

Please help he is my pride and joy and I don't know what to do.

Thanks,
Brittany