I haven’t been able to muster any energy to write in quite awhile. My current state of exhaustion has everything to do with the terrible two’s.
They are really terrible.
Elisabeth lately insists that she wants to go outside to play at 4:30 in the morning. Sheesh. It’s a good thing she’s cute.
However, there is a new strategy in place as of today. The plan is to first redirect her attention to anything else. If and when that fails, which I know it will, then we ignore the tantrum, in another room.
Perhaps we’ll build grandpa another workbench? Elisabeth thought that was fun!
I’d love to hear your thoughts on surviving the terrible two’s. Please share. Please…
Just pray that she doesn’t go on to have the terrible threes like each of ours did
We thought three was even tougher than two. Much more tantrum-ing and talking back. Does she sass you in sign?! That might be hard not to laugh at. I have to bite my tongue over some of the sassy talk we get at our house.
She is already sign sassing. I used to laugh because she is so funny, now I just hold my breath. When I tell Chris at the end of the day about all her shenanigans, he thinks I’m a crazy person. I’m going to be in real trouble.
I survived raising mine through it and now am waiting with baited breath as my granddaughter will turn two this month . . . Good luck, hang in there, and try to get some rest!
Blessings!
My dad likes to tell me this is payback. My mom reassures me I was never like this, except at bedtime! Good luck with your granddaughter!
Conversation with a two-year-old Lindsay at 1:00 am -
“Honey, you have to go to sleep. The whole world is sleeping. The people are sleeping, the animals are sleeping, the birds are sleeping. It’s the middle of the night.”
Her reply, “No it isn’t”.
When they turn four, they enter the realm of reason. Until then – we all understand, really.
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forawrd to reading more articles from you in the future.- Jack
Imagining a mini Lindsay asking a million questions really cracks me up! I am now really looking forward to four
Hi, Patty! ~
I must admit that the two’s were my favorite age
Mostly I tried to avoid saying “No” (and avoid power struggles) by arranging our lives where “Yes” worked most of the time. In other words, for example, everything fragile was put away so I didn’t have to keep telling the two-year-old not to touch them. And they get to wear whatever they want (which I know Isla does anyway!)
But, you’re right about the temper tantrums — whatever you do, don’t give in or you’ll be paying for the rest of your life!
It also helped me to remember that it’s a two-year-old’s job to stretch into her independence at this age, it’s not being “naughty”.
Nobody warned me about the terrible-threes, however, which was MUCH worse — haha!