To think threenage years will be easier than the terrible twos?

[craftbeer]

Please don't burst my bubble too much

The two's have been great until now (at 2.10 months) she had turned into a whinging, shouting, biting nightmare.

@TheFabledSnake

In my ex, 4 year olds will argue the toss with you constantly, very irritating..but you can have great conversations

I swear I almost changed my eldest's name to Google at 4, because apparently he knew everything.

He's now 5, and actually started correcting me about things. I don't mean in a 'toddler tantrum' way, I mean in a 'well that's embarrassing for me, the adult' sort of way .

The only problem I found with 4s were the interminable shaggy dog stories without any sign of a punchline. Other than that, cute and quite reasonable. Terrible twos had the advantage of at least being portable. By age three less given to outright destruction, but more likely to whine. So it's really a question of personality- yours, not theirs. Do you cope better with being kicked and screamed at or whined at? I personally find screaming more bearable (and always took steps to restrain the kicking).

On the plus side, age three are great fun to talk to.

The age I found unbelievably hard was between 1 and 2 with both of my children. Up and walking but falling all over the place. Such a physically tiring age! And they are constantly all over you (that goes on a while of course)

My eldest is now 12 and youngest 6 and this is all much better. Getting the teen hormones and emotions from 12 to already though. It’s hard work emotionally but I like feeling like a physically separate person again a lot!

I've found 3 harder than 2 (and 1 and 0) though now we are heading towards 4 it's getting better.

It's the constant demands for attention on a scale not seen before. The tantrums are louder and longer and more difficult to deal with.

Thank goodness we are coming out the other side of it. Just the youngest to get through it now

@Funkypickle

Once past threenager you hit the freaking fours... Good luck

You mean 4Nado. Ahhh.

Oh god, the fucking fours. DS is 6 and I'm waiting for him to grow out of that one...

DD1 was hardest 18m to 2.6. DD2 is copying her big brother, and has only really just starting talk, so we're heading into her turning 3 and acting like a 4yo.

While also WFH and doing two lots of homeschool around nursery being closed because of a case in her bubble. I'm fucking knackered 😂

I find my threenager easier than when she was 2 (still not easy but easier) as I can negotiate with her more and she understands consequences better. She’s also hilarious and good company whereas at 2 conversation is a lot more limited

@craftbeer they think.they know it all! Ds is 6 now and I've come out the other side

I really bloody hope so.

My 2 year old... he’s so angry 😩

For me the really worrying thing with teenagers was when they went out and were late back. I used to lie awake in bed until they got in. So sorry, lack of sleep again!

In general the worries are still there, just different ones! My favourite age is around ten. They are still children and innocent, but are also independent in terms of self care, though of course still need plenty of supervision.

All ages have difficulties and nice bits!

Different challenges, they are less needy but if you think you need patience for the terrible twos the id say this is just the training ground.

Well,the terrible twos equals a portable tiny human you can carry if they're having a tantrum, the teenager,not so much...

DD is three and a bit. Waaaaay better than two. Cute as anything (they all are), proper ideas and opinions about things, loves a chat, has some understanding of consequence, can play simple board games, absolutely sponge-like. Downsides: well, some of the above really! Vocal, stubborn etc. Still tantrums sometimes but harder to pick up and move / strap into a pram. But I love it, honestly. We’re together loads at the moment (thanks, covid) but it’s so lovely at times.

@Whenwillow

A friend of mine quoted at me 'terrible twos, troublesome threes, and effing fours'. She wasn't too wide off the mark!

Totally agree with this one!!!!

Sorry OP apparently it gets better when they've reached adulthood and left home

I have 3, eldest is 16 and generally delightful BUT he has Aspergers so I’m conscious I’m probably not having a typical teen parent experience.

Nothing has been harder than the toddler stage for me. That 1.5-2.5 age group is the one I’d never go back to - adorable but bloody hard work and more relentless than anything. But everything else, including teen years so far, has been overwhelmingly more enjoyable than stressful. That’s not to say there haven’t been stressful moments - there always are - but for every stage I’ve found that good outweighs bad. Apart from toddlers where bad outweighs good.

Every age and stage has its pros and cons though. The best way I can describe the difference as DC get older is that they become far less physically demanding (ie they’re not waking up in the night, demanding to be carried, needing to be hoiked in and out of cots/buggies/car seats) but more mentally stressful. Worrying about teen DC and whether they’ll pass exams, get to uni, find a job, have nice mates, be happy in their relationships. All that sort of stuff.

Not for all the people I know with children who have been three recently. Sorry.

I personally found big leaps every 6 months in understanding, tolerance, ability to negotiate etc so I think many things do actually get easier (especially physically) abs the amount of new stuff they can do between 2 and 4 is amazing really. And, while my (now) 4 year old could have her moments at 2 and 3, her bad behaviour at 3 tended to be at home whereas at 2 it could be anywhere. At 2 we had random leg kicking tantrums with limited words, at 3 (and 4) we can get the anger but with verbal venom. So today’s delight was ‘i want to leave this family: you’re such a horrid mummy.’ accompanied with door slamming. In contrast, my nearly 2 year old just cries. Both are overwhelmed but it’s much more challenging to deal with the older one as she can’t just be distracted with a teddy abs you’re instead trying to explain why asking your offspring to tidy their room isn’t a hate crime.

3 was pretty easy with my Daughter and from 4 a total delight. Counting down the days til my little boy is 3 and hoping it’s the same as he’s got some serious redeeming to do from the baby/toddler stage!

Sadly not I fear. I don’t expect parenting to get easier. The older why he the bigger the issues and less you can help leading to more worry. I miss the young years

It's easier as they can do more and you understand more. I love my threenager... she's an absolute hoot!

Hahahahaha I thought so too OP. They're like a teenager, except you can't really tell them to eff off and go to their room or be grounded 😂 at 2 at least you could control them a bit more and worst come to worst carry them out of a situation but when they're three it's impossible to carry them or drag them when they're having a meltdown plus they know how to debate/reason with you!!! 😂 😂

My DS was harder at 2 but my DD was harder at 3.

The first half of 3 no no no just no! Second half of 3 things will get better especially closer to 4! Sorry op but 3 is worse

My experience has been that if with the age two tantrums you deal with them properly (not reearding bad behaviour with attention; rewarding quiet good behaviour with attention, etc) then age three is much easier than age two.

If at age two you let bad behaviour slide saying “she’s only two” then age three will be a lot worse...