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AIBU?

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To sometimes wish I didn’t have my three year old

54 replies

towardstheroad · 03/07/2026 17:32

I feel awful typing that but it’s kind of my most dark and hidden thought. I love her, but I do sometimes think if I could press a button and just go back and not know her but know what was to come I’d do so.

She is … challenging. She wants what she wants and if she doesn’t get it she screams. Car journeys are fraught as she will have say a toy and then drop it and scream. Often I end up pulling over just to stop her screaming but of course sometimes I can’t. She screams whenever something bothers her and it can be anything … the unpredictability of her has me on edge as even when she’s fine the next moment she won’t be.

She sleeps badly, not so much at night but wakes insanely early and if she even has a short nap she’s awake until gone 9. It’s really getting me down tbh.

I just hope it will get better as much as I love her I don’t enjoy spending time with her at the moment as my life is just constantly dealing with crying and screaming and whining; it feels like she’s never happy.

OP posts:
Stompythedinosaur · 03/07/2026 18:00

That sounds really hard!

Can you have car toys that clip on to her car seat? Or not give a toy and sing songs together?

It's a horrible phase but it will pass.

Spirothedragon · 03/07/2026 17:44

My phase of this was 0-18 months. He was the most miserable and hard work baby that has ever existed (hyperbole, perhaps, but it felt that way).
He's 3 now and I'm so glad he's here, and that we somehow persevered through that tough time.
You will probably be feeling the same way this time next year :)

towardstheroad · 03/07/2026 17:40

RoseOliviaAu · 03/07/2026 17:36

Three year olds are absolutely mental. My nephew honestly almost scared me off having children at that age. They chill out at 4 mostly.

Hoping I’ll read this again in a year and feel so bad. I honestly hope so as life at the moment is so hard.

OP posts:
RoseOliviaAu · 03/07/2026 17:36

Three year olds are absolutely mental. My nephew honestly almost scared me off having children at that age. They chill out at 4 mostly.