Non-stop tears for 3 and a a half years

[Phoenixmum]

We are at our wit's end with our 3 year old. He has cried all the time since he was born!! He is willful and disobedient and has naughty behavior that our other children have not displayed. He is constantly whacking his brothers and non stop whining and crying over everything. He can be incredibly sweet at times and very loving but then pushes me to lose my temper. I just cannot understand why he cries so much. Looking at other posts, am I to have this to deal with for years to come?

[angelinamarina]

And also.....
I am certainly not a doctor or medical professional but I have done tons of research on mood swings and childhood issues that relate to depression and there is a lot of research that shows giving kids' fish oil supplements helps with mild childhood depression and outlook.  Costco and even Walmart sell children's chewable fish oil supplements.  So, if you are not already supplementing with fish oil and you have an unhappy kid, you might try it.  It is sort of a natural anti-depressant.  

[angelinamarina]

As a parent of a 5 yr old bipolar girl who was once diagnosed as autism spectrum, I would like to say that if your kids are crying all of the time something could be wrong and really bothering them.  Are they developmentally on target?  First stop is the pediatrician, but they often seem to only want to treat "physical illness" -- avoiding the brain all together!  If development is even slightly delayed, I would head straight for the developmental pediatrician who will help figure out if your child needs a therapist or ?  The therapist appts are our daughter's favorite thing btw - she plays with her non stop during the entire session and advocates for her at school and with the doctors.

Just my 02c...i would not let my kid be that unhappy, i would get her/him checked out.  If s/he had a broken leg would you just hope it goes away or heals?  I am just sayin.....

[sushshaf]

i have twins and one is a cryer. i suffered from pre-eclampsia and the doctor explained they think it is due to the baby being in distress and sending out hormones that affect the pregnant mother. my cryer was not growing in utero and they were delivered early.
my daughter was born with her eyes open. she would look out from the humidicrib and watch everyone. she cried from the begining. i took her back to the hospital and asked for a refund. (no just joiking) and they said that some babies cry. i carried her around in my arms or had her in a swing for hours. i would cook dinner with her in a sling. she wanted to be with me all the time.
i have three kids and they all cry but the others will settle when they have told me what is the problem. my daughter cries beyond what is necessary and out of proportion to what has happened. what starts out as one issue becomes another where she wants me to pick her up and she cries that i will not pick her up. she is getting too big to continue doing this.  i swing between not wanting to treat her differently and so probably being a bit insensitive with her, to thinking i do not want her to grow up thinking i do not love her. i worry then will the other two think i do not love them since their sister seems to get special treatment. i tell her why i think her crying is uncessary and i ask her why she cries. i have not been able to get a satisfactory answer from her. last night i threatened to put her out on the balcony if she didn't stop crying. she apologised and stop crying immediately. this shows me she has some control over her behaviour.

[kpotiuk]

I feel your pain!  I have a 3 year old, well almost 4, daughter who is exactly the same way.  She has always been very sensitive and cries alot and cries very easily over almost nothing but for the last 3 weeks its gotten worst.  She's the oldest too so its not that she has bigger siblings causing problems.  I'm not sure what to do, I cannot handle the crying and I'm sure I'm not dealing with it the best way possible, I try to stay calm but its immpossible.  Most days I feel like she hates me now and she totally prefers her father.  Hope there is an end/solution to all this!!

[margypops]

I assume the brothers are older as he is only 3year old, check out he is not the one being teased, have you never seen them be mean to him? are they nice and kind to their younger sibling all the time. Could it be possible there have been any jealousy issue fron an older son? you say he does the whacking so they dont whack?He is acting out because he is upset and something is upsetting him, maybe from birth so be more watchful and find out what it is.

[jdtm]

Could your son be highly sensitive?  There is an excellent book titled "the highly sensitive child" by Elaine N. Aron which can be purchased in bookstores, on-line, or borrowed from your public library.  Any other suggestions .....