Before we had kids I heard about the “terrible twos.” When our oldest was approaching 2 years old, I was mentally preparing myeslf for his coming fits and tantrums and misbehavior, but they didn’t come… He was a very pleasant 2 year old! But when he hit 3, he was so often grouchy! I wondered if that was his version of the phase knowns as the “terrible twos.”
After that I watched my other kids to see whether or not the “terrible twos” was real or a myth. Now that I’ve lived through mothering 10 two-year-olds, I group toddlers in 3 types. One type is the running 1 year old. Another type is the tantrum 2 year old. The third type is the grouchy 3 year old.
Running 1 Year Old
Baby #2 was a very mischevious 1 year old! I was constantly chasing her away from the trash can and the toilet and pulling her down from high places she’d climbed to. She’d dump cereal boxes and pull out all my recipe cards. She got into all the toys and whatever she could find and left trails of messes behind her. I thought of her as a little tornado that I couldn’t keep up with. Some days it made me feel like screaming.
The other “running one” that stands out in my mind was #6. She was my most challenging one year old. There were so many homeschool lessons interrupted by her leaving the room – because I was afraid of what she’d do out of my sight!
About the time these toddlers turned 2 they settled down quite a bit, and I was ready for that break!
Tantrum 2 Year Old
Baby #4 was our first kid to actually have a “terrible 2’s” phase. She would throw fits and cry! Every day! And she wouldn’t be comforted by my picking her up for a hug. I finally learned to sit her on a bed and tell her “You can come get down when you’re ready to be nice.” About 3 seconds later she’d stop crying and say something like, “I’m nice.” 😆
I’ve written before about 2-year-olds in Walking With a 2 Year Old. In that post I covered what to expect from toddler behavior and how to handle it well. We need to stay close them while they feel their big emotions, and let them work through them. Remember that you are the adult, and they need you to be ok, even if they aren’t. Once they’re calm you can talk about better ways to handle big emotions. But it may take all year for them to start using that new information.
Grouchy 3 Year Old
We’ve had a few kids of each of these types: running one, tantrum two, and grouchy 3. Our #10 is 3 years old right now, and she has definitely been a grouchy 3! One place where she and I have really had a power struggle is in potty training. She had cooperated really well for most of a year. Then, just in these past few months, when I say it’s time to go and she doesn’t want to, she screams at me, so angry! Thank goodness I’ve lived through all those other toddlers and have learned a little patience! I just sigh and watch her run off screaming to the bathroom, “I’ll do it myself!!”
Don’t Dread It
It’s so funny how little ones can be sweet and adorable one minute, and then making you feel like you’re going to have a break down the next! That’s a toddler for ya.
Whether your toddler turns out to be a running 1 year old, a trantrum throwing 2 year old, or a grouchy 3 year old, you don’t need to worry about it. Those not-so-pleasant days will come and go just as quickly as they came. Try to make the most of the in-between times when your toddler is just adorable!
Thanks for reading my post and Happy Parenting!
