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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To believe that on balance, 3 year olds are easier to handle than 2 year olds?

57 replies

GogoGobo · 23/02/2013 21:18

I feel like I am in the eye of the storm with my 2.3 DS. So Aibu to believe 3 Year olds are waaaaay easier??

OP posts:
BamBamAndPebbles · 23/02/2013 21:20

Sorry no.

2's are to prepare you for 3 and 4's ime

YouTheCat · 23/02/2013 21:20

Can't remember. I am pretty sure that 3 year olds are easier than 18 year olds though and am prepared to swap. Grin

Sirzy · 23/02/2013 21:20

With my DS then yes it is most days

Original poster
GogoGobo · 23/02/2013 21:21

Oh no! It is the belief that things get miraculously better that is getting me through this week alone!

OP posts:
Hassled · 23/02/2013 21:22

Actually all of mine were pretty OK at 2, and then monstrous devil children at 3. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose.

Iggly · 23/02/2013 21:23

YANBU

You can bribe reason with a three year old. A 2 year old would take the chocolate buttons and carry on in their own way.

Although 3 year olds start to lose that sense of being a toddler. A 2 year old is still a baby to me.

5madthings · 23/02/2013 21:23

Ime i could talk to/reason to/explain things to a three yr old more so.yes they are easier.

My dd is 26mths and lovely but can be hard work at times.

SuedeEffectPochette · 23/02/2013 21:23

The most challenging age is 18 months - 2.5 years IMO (and experienced this four times over). They are mobile but silly. It's like looking after a little drunk, they stagger, dribble, sick, slur, and you have to try to stop them hurting themselves. When they are older it is easier as they (can) listen to reason. Boys mess up your house. Girls mess up your head!

Original poster
GogoGobo · 23/02/2013 21:23

sirzy so there is hope Smile
I am thinking al least there will be Pre-school......

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 23/02/2013 21:24

DD2 is 3.2, and yes, she's much easier than this time last year because she understands much more, so she can tell me stuff which makes her less frustrated, and I can explain things to her - which makes her less frustrated.

But that of course brings a whole lot of different problems like 'But whyyy...' is one that can get a tad irritating after the 67th time she's said it in one hour Grin

Hassled · 23/02/2013 21:24

And the number of threads you see here about 4 year old boys is staggering - someone told me that's when boys get their first real hit of testosterone. So beware that stage too :o.

They're lovely when they're 10. 10 is a great age. Old enough to be interesting/interested, young enough not to have attitude.

BrainDeadMama · 23/02/2013 21:24

Yup I am finding 3 better than 2. You can talk to them more, reason with them, have more fun, less shocking mood swings. HTH :)

cece · 23/02/2013 21:26

I've always 3 to be the worst of the early years tbh.

Original poster
GogoGobo · 23/02/2013 21:26

suede Grin

OP posts:
bedmonster · 23/02/2013 21:26

I looked after my niece today, bloody hell I'd forgotten how little attention spans 3 year olds have! Ds is 15m and I barely heard a peep out of him all day!

YouTheCat · 23/02/2013 21:27

Suede, that description reminded me of my ex h Grin

cece · 23/02/2013 21:28

But then the first term in Recption is pretty bad too. Oh and the testosterone hit for boys at about the age of 8 isn't that great either. Now got a pre teen DD and she can be quite a handful moody madam

chickydoo · 23/02/2013 21:28

2 & 3 yr olds are def a piece of cake to teenagers, but you don't realise it until it's way too late.

glenthebattleostrich · 23/02/2013 21:28

My dad told me that the worst age is 18 months - 18 years. And the only reason 18 is the cut off is because you can legally force them to leave home. I think he was joking...

SolomanDaisy · 23/02/2013 21:28

What actually happens when they're two? I have a 20 month old (am finding 18 months+ easier than 12-18 months, he falls over less and can communicate more). I don't have much experience with kids, kids so don't really know what happens with the 'terrible twos'.

cece · 23/02/2013 21:29

dam that was supposed to be a witty strikethrough.

Original poster
GogoGobo · 23/02/2013 21:29

hassled I will now have very high expectations for 2020 if I haven't been carted off to somewhere with soft walls and low lighting by then!

OP posts:
cherrypez · 23/02/2013 21:30

I keep finding myself saying how much I am enjoying my baby, how she is so easygoing, sweet and well behaved. She is 3. A year or so ago you would have found me saying what a nightmare she was, a velcro baby. She is so adorable I wamt her to stay 3 for ever. YANBU.

Meglet · 23/02/2013 21:31

Yabu.

And 4 is worse than 3. DD is a hellraiser at the moment, roll on Sept when hopefully school will tire her out and calm her down a bit.

Sneepy · 23/02/2013 21:31

Oh god. 2 year olds are still young enough to not know what's going on. They don't take offense to what their older sisters say and you can put them down for a nap when things get hairy. 3 year olds are AWARE. They know when they are being left out. They understand an insulting tone of voice. They can argue. And yet, their primary negotiating tool is lying on the floor and screaming. Give me a 2 year old any day.