Whoever coined the phrase 'Terrible Twos' hadn't spent time with my 3yo DS

[MagicGenie]

Does anyone have any good strategies for coping with that 3 yo testosterone-y stuff they do which involves hitting out, punching, kicking and in my DS's case, scratching (He's in time out as I type for doing this after setting out to hurt me on purpose.)

I know all the rough and tumble is totally natural but I find it really difficult. How far is too far? Everything is about shooting aliens/telling baddies off/conquering pirate ships/diving onto his baby brother; me taking deep breaths and walking away to calming myself isn't working.

And the sudden lack of any manners and boundless cheek is also tiring - God knows what he'll be like when he's a teenager; he's just turned 3 for goodness sake!

And it seems so different from the 2 year old stuff!

It feels like he's being a horrible little git and I'm not enjoying him.

TIA x

[Marne]

Dd was an angel at 2 years, she changed when she got to 3 years, she goes from being a lovely little girl to being a monster. She loves jumping on me and the furniture and loves acting out stories (pirates, Dora and being a school teacher).
She can also be very nasty in the way she speeks to me ( forgets her manners).

[MagicGenie]

Anyone else? x

[Elphaba]

No strategies except hang on in there!

3 is harder than 2, no doubt about it. Ds3 is 3 at the moment and he is HARD WORK! And this is 3rd time round for me!

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[beansprout]

We pretty much got through the twos ok, and then when ds hit 3, boy, did he raise his game.

I was subjected to a full on physical assault today which at 37 weeks preg was not funny.

[Elphaba]

Yes, ds2 is 5 now and in reception and he is a different child - still has his moments but he was incredibly hard work at 2 and 3 and very difficult to communicate with. Everyone comments on how much he's changed actually.

[ingles2]

MagicGenie...Have you not heard of threeangers? Oh yes...it's a little secret, were no-one tells you your gorgeous baby turns into "Kevin" the minute they hit 3

[handlemecarefully]

Dd was awful at 2 but well over it by 3 and very loveable again.

Ds was a darling 2 year old, but as a 3 year old whinges, complains and is totally irrational. He still has his endearing qualities and I adore him (whilst at the same time feeling quite murderous) but he certainly puts me through my paces

[handlemecarefully]

Sobernow - thanks for that, very funny!

[ValnBen]

They?re not called Threenagers for nothing ? like a teenager (with all the sullen and stroppiness) but without the actual hormones cursing through their bodies?
In to the fab five stage at the mo?not looking forward to sarcastic six now thanks to sober

[handlemecarefully]

5 is particularly lovely...however when tired they still occasionally have throwbacks to 3!

[Elphaba]

Spot on HMC!

[Elphaba]

Totally agree with sobernow - 6 is quite challenging!

Mine are 6, 5 and 3 atm so have quite a good outlook on this one!!

[ingles2]

I've got an Egotistical Eight!

[MagicGenie]

Hee hee hee - thanks everyone, these have really cheered me up and made me laugh

'Kevin the teenager' - so true !
'Putting me through my paces' - couldn't have put it better.

And no, I'd never heard the term 'threenagers' but as soon as I read it, I p'ed myself laughing!

I decided to 'go with' the testosterone as much as possible today after the scratching incident. This involved me 'stomping' through the house being a dinosaur tonight, roaring to scare non-existant people. After 5 minutes, he decided we needed to stop scaring people cos the dinosaurs needed to stop for ice-cream so...he's can't be all bad, eh?

Just bloody exhausting.

[ValnBen]

Oh ? Magic ?do a search on ?threenager??hmm actually perhaps you?d better not!