Hi there rooquie, I have three boys who are 5 yrs apart. My husband works a crazy schedule so he is not home for three days of the week. So I am at home with the kids and they are use to my schedule. I go to sleep late, late nights are when I can get more of the cleaning done I work for 6 hours in the day and I try to spend time with all the boys and it is hard and I had to learn to clean less and spend more time with the kids so I would put off certain things like folding laundry till late at night and so I would LET my kids stay up with me. my family , my in-laws and even my husband tease me saying that my 15mnth old is probably the only baby awake hanging out about 1 in the morning. but that happens because I allowed it and still allow it to happen. My 10yr old and my 5yr old do have a bedtime once they start school they have to be in their rooms lights out by 9:00. but my little guy (15month old) he stay with me keeping me company. This works for me and my family. My point is you've allowed your child to stay up this late and he knows that he can do so. It is true that the less sleep kids get the more grouchy and moody they become. When the kids started school I had to get them use to going to bed at a normal time and it was hard for me and my kids because I had to enforce the going to bed at this time no if and or buts. Which means until they got use to going to bed I would have to turn everything off and lay quietly unitl they fell asleep. Alittle sacrifice on my part but I did it because It was because of me they were staying up late. Which I woldn't change my 10yr old will tell me every once in awhile remember when we use to stay up and watch this cartoon or when we would lay on the living room floor and fall asleep together. You should see my house on weekends we are all awake and my husband looks at me and says what is wrong with you people! (we the kids and I look at eachother and laugh, it is really quite funny) and when my husband is away at work he will call me and tell me he misses all the noise.

he sleeps in my bed an if he does go to sleep early meanin around 11pm and around 2 if i'm not there he wakes up an wudnt go to sleep unless i lay dwn wit him. his days are pretty structered or i try to keep it that way. i just tell him not to do it gain in a stern voice but he gets more upset and starts to scream at me...but i will check out the book u recommended andi've already made an appt wit his pediatrician.. thnk you so much and any more help will be greatly appreciated

Hi, I'm a first time mom too with a 2 1/2 year old who has started testing limits as well. I noticed that she tends to act up more in situations where she's not comfortable or if I'm not giving her enough positive attention, or if she's tired or hungry. But sometimes it also seems like her tantrums come out of nowhere.

How does your son stay up until 3 in the morning? Does he sleep in a big kid bed or is he still in a crib? Have you talked with his pediatrician about his behavior? If he is throwing chairs it sounds like he could end up hurting himself or someone else.
How is his day structured? In other words, do things happen regularly each day that he can count on? What kinds of consequences do you have set up for when he misbehaves? For example, what happens when he hits you?

Someone just lent me a book called, "The Discipline Book: How to Have A Better Behaved Child From Birth to Age Ten," By Dr. Sears. It looks like there are some good strategies in there and it's helping me to understand my daughter's behavior. It might be worth checking out: www.amazon.com/Discipline-Book-Better-Behaved-Child-Birth/dp/0316779032