This is my first post. Sorry so long. I have been having some real issues with my just turned 5 year old daughter for a long time now. She screams, talks back like she is 15, hits, kicks, punches walls, throws things, spits food out on the floor, swears, doesn't listen, destroys things,. Did I mention this happens everyday, several times a day. I try to dicipline her but nothing works and believe me I have tried everything. She has been so difficult lately that I mentioned it to the teacher at her preschool thinking she was behaving like this there. The teacher was shocked and couldn't even fathom her acting like this. Her teacher who has been teaching for 30 years and has a masters degree said she is very mature for her age and highly intelligent. She said she is the best student she has in school and all the children love her. When she is good she is extremely good. Its just rare for me. She was a wonderful baby- slept through the night, never cried, always smiling, hit every milestone very early. It seemed like on the very day of her 2nd birthday she transformed into such a difficult child. She would have these outbursts and would bite her own arm when she got mad. She wouldn't sleep until like 3AM and wake up at 7AM. (believe me I read every sleep book and nothing worked). She was soooo energetic and happy but when she got mad she was HORRIBLE! Everyone has been telling me "she will grow out of it", "its just a stage, she's totally normal" but I always felt it wasn't normal. She was just MORE than other kids. I spoke with her doctor and they said they didn't think she had any attention or hyperactivity problems, which I agree with. They told me to read 1-2-3 Magic. Then they told me she is a spirited child and had me read Raising Your Spirited Child. Well, she's 5 now and she hasn't outgrown it but its gotton worse with every year that passes. Now she is too big for me to handle. I am only 5' and she is already almost 4'. I know its been a rough year for her. I just had a baby 6 months ago. I am just at my wits end now. I fear I have become the mother that screams all the time which is not what I wanted to become. I joined this forum in hopes that other people go through this too because I am sick of being the only parent whose kid is not a joy to be around. I guess misery wants company. Seriously though I would like to have support on how I can help my child get through this and maybe learn some new parenting techniques.