Caitlin turns 3 this Nov-end.
Is the “terrible two’s” over? Or does it actually mean that kids simply upgrade in their level of terrible-ness?
Terrible-Two’s -> Terrorism-Three’s?
I distinctly recall Dr Pixie mentioning just over a year ago; few months before Caitlin turned 2 in fact, that once kids turned 2, they’d be starting to push the envelope with the adults around them; that they’d be trying to test & see how far they can get with people.
Looking back, I was distinctly reminded of Dr Pixie’s advice almost exactly a month before Caitlin turned 2. Our little angel started to grow devil horns. What was an easy-going little responsive child with joyful smiles (it’s probably a positive trait from none other than Daddee) suddenly showed signs of defiance & stubbornness (definitely from Mummee).
Looking at the present, Caitlin has already established a few things:
- She knows she can get away with quite a bit with both sets of grandparents,
- She knows that while I am sometimes firm I am generally friendly & playful, and
- She knows that when Mummee speaks she must listen (so does everyone else!) & is generally not playful.
- At Grannee’s she’s a lot more sooky,
- With me she seems more natural (ahem),
- With Mummee she’s a little more formal (if one could use that on a 2-3 yr old).
Dr Pixie therefore advised that two’s is also the time when they ought to be “molded” in terms of their manners & mannerisms. For if they did not learn & practise their manners & be told or put in their place often enough, this (mis)behaviour & rudeness is likely to set in place, difficult to change (just like men reaching their mid-30s getting harder to lose that bit around the middle.. I guess).
Luckily we try to nip it in the bud as it happens (toddler behaviour, I mean), & with the announced rule of while-I-reprimand-no-one-else-interjects-or-overrules being widely adopted, so far Caitlin does heed what she is told. The few areas that still need work is the greeting of elders when she sees them; when we arrive at their residence, their arrival into our’s, “good morning”- just generally when we see them.
What are / were your experience with your two-year olds?
Next: Terrible-two’s: The Bully!
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Both of our boys have continued to push the envelope at home with regard to what they can get away with before being reprimanded. However, both of them have always behaved very well with other people and when we are out in public.
I don’t think either of them were any better or worse once they turned 3. As they have gotten older, the challenges have changed but overall I think we have two well-behaved, respectful boys.
Thanks Derek!
From this & your recent football-posts, it sounds like you have a good couple of boys there!
They say that girls (since I have one) are easier, as opposed to boys who’d run amok & create all sorts of havoc at home. An office mate refuses to go home early just to avoid his 2 yr old son, & my nephew also used to give my brother & wife such grief with his misplaced smartness!
How did you cultivate this well-behaviour in your boys?
Thank you for the kind words!
While I’ve also heard that girls are easier than boys, I’m not so sure there is much to that. Don’t get me wrong, our boys do their share of creating havoc at home but overall they are very good boys.
In terms of how they behave, I can only say that we try to teach them by example and always treat people with respect and politeness. They have obviously picked up on that because we often receive comments about how well-behaved they are when we are out somewhere.
Part of it may be that they are allowed to create a little havoc at home when it is just the four of us. They have a lot of energy and get to play and be a little rowdy at home. Without that release at home, it may boil over at school or when out with other people.
These are the best and worst years of your parenthood, so I was told.
It can really drive you crazy: the manipulations, testing of boundaries, tantrums and demands. But at the end of the day, when I cuddle them close in bed, I Thank God endlessly for such wonderful gifts: my boys.
I’ve often read that two-year-olds are NOTHING compared to three-year-olds … but I have to say this hasn’t been my experience. With Bub I found three to be much more relaxed than two.
@ Derek: Since we are expecting the next one to be a boy, then UH OH!
@ Moomykin: You are right. As mentioned elsewhere before, I do enjoy putting Caitlin to bed. She is at, what I believe to be, her “best” in terms of being the most natural. She is chatty, honest, giggly, insightful (when recounting & analysing her day’s events); just generally a very sweet kid. I know I will be missing this part of my parenting experience already..
@ Bubandpie: again, UH OH!
Thanks for your feedbacks! Yes, plural!