To think 2 year olds should do as they're told?

[SleepingStandingUp]

And that if they don't it's a reflection on lax parenting? I'm taking not climbing and sitting in high sides, not going upstairs when told not to / coming down when told to, sitting at the table to eat, not pushing each other?

AIBU to expect that we'll raised two year olds can do all this and the fact mine don't is because I'm doing something wrong and therefore to ask how to make them behave??

No, don't worry. That's just what people think before they have kids. 3 marginally better but the attitude is unreal. 4 they turn a bit of a corner (my eldest did anyway, hoping same for my youngest who is 4 in June! 😬) I think you just have to repeatedly say 'no' and move them away from the situation. They soon forget so punishment not really appropriate as they often don't connect the two. It's all innocent naughtiness until they turn three then they get devious....

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius yes bin eating, so delicious. Twi n2 is a fan 😂😂

@Merryoldgoat clearly not with either empathy or humour eh

Two year olds are called terrible twos for a reason. Even my 5 year old isnt there yet

@megletthesecond

Do you want a stiff drink and we'll tell you about threenagers ?

Haha exactly what I came on to say 😂😂

No bloody chance 😂
Two year olds are wild little critters and if you can get through the day and they've eaten at least one vegetable, drunk something, sucked fewer than two slugs and a handful of dirt and not stuck their thumb up their arse you've won the day.

My six year old had a bit of a fit earlier when he 'remembered about his nipples', but couldn't get to see them quickly enough because he was dressed to go outside. Not sure if anyone else has coined a term for this, but I am calling it the 'surprisingly stroppy sixes'.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

Ohhh they like to start early on the terrible twos! Ds1 started at 18 months, and I well remember one morning when he’d been screaming solidly for nearly an hour, having had a 90 minute long tantrum the night before - I was heavily pregnant and was on the phone in floods of tears to dh, telling him I couldn’t cope.

Then it went quiet. If you have a toddler, you know that silence is not golden - it is terrifying!

I got off the phone and went to find ds1 - he was standing by the kitchen bin, eating left over tortilla chips we’d thrown away the night before. But that’s not the worst part. I knew that, if I took him away from his delicious bin snack, he’d start screaming again - so I let him carry on eating!

When he got bored and wandered off, I emptied the bin and found somewhere better for it to live. Ds1 must have had a cast iron digestion, because he didn’t have any trace of an ill effect from eating from the bin. And he got over the terrible twos, and is now a very nice young man - and I survived two more goes of the terrible twos with his brothers. And then the teenage years……

This made me laugh so much, I remember allowing similar behaviour when ds3 was 2 . Carry on and just pretend you haven't seen 🤣

I'd been a parent for about 20 years before I uttered the words will you please leave your brothers bum hole alone! Repeatedly. The joys of having a small age gap

@Jointhecircus

You have not-yet-two-year-old twins? Give yourself a break OP! I’m sure there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your parenting. Well done for surviving this far 👍🏻

I brought me marshmallows

🤣🤣🤣 just no. some people are lucky and their kids will listen. My three year old not a hope. I'm a good parent he just doesn't realise it yet 🤪

I think there is a lot of handholding, leading and guiding needed with 2 year olds. I wouldn't expect them to do most of what you suggest without quite a lot of input and repetitive training. I don't think most 2 year olds will happily sit still at a table for example. It's very boring for them. If you constantly engage, sing talk play whatever, then maybe you will get a few extra minutes, but most 2 year olds will not sit for any length of time.
I don't understand people who take their toddlers out to eat, for example. It's not a nice experience for anyone; you the parents, the child, or other customers.
In schools, there used to be. a guideline of not making a child sit still in one place listening for longer than it's age in minutes - so 8 minutes for an 8 year old, 2 minutes for a 2 year old.
If you want them to do something, you literally have to take their hand and show them. It's hard work, there is nothing more knackering than being at home with a toddler!

Hahahaha! This thread is reminding me of DS1 eating discarded snacks off the floor in soft play 🤢. When I was heavily pregnant with DD, ds2 (aged 2) bolted in the local forest park and I had to drop my bag, bark order at ds1 to stay put and somehow run after him, at which point he rolled in a muddy puddle. Fun times.

2 year olds are like cats, they could do as they're told but most often don't.

Mines 7 now and it's still sometimes touch and go if she does as she's told, although punishments work much better on her now. The threat of losing pocket money soon makes her change her mind.

Hang in there with you'll need it

@IncompleteSenten

No bloody chance 😂 Two year olds are wild little critters and if you can get through the day and they've eaten at least one vegetable, drunk something, sucked fewer than two slugs and a handful of dirt and not stuck their thumb up their arse you've won the day.

I draw the line at slugs and worms. They will be locked I nthe garden until pest control turns up

Sorr my phone is being an arse and kept not sending the replies I write. So thank you to all those who sent niice posts and especially those with tales of your terrible children 😂😂

My 3 year old stills doesn't do as he's told 😂🤣

🤣🤣🤣
DS is 2 1/2 and the only way to stop him doing something is to physically stop him. He has VERY selective hearing!!
His 6 year old sister is usually there to very helpfully egg him on with his mischief 🤣

Have you ever met a two year old?

Yes they should definitely do everything you say, to the letter, like a well-trained spaniel.

Mine is three this week and he’s shocking. Does not listen to a thing. If I’m lucky he’ll look my way, smile, and carry on anyway but most the time he doesn’t look in my direction if I am asking him not to do something

2 year olds are still a work in progress. You can aim for them to do as they're told and not give in to them but don't expect 100% obedience.

The hard thing is that often when they’re being a bit naughty it’s quite hard not to laugh. Mine was not listening during her bath this evening but was being quite cute at the same time while trying to splash me. An older 2 is really a lovely age and you can see their personality coming out more and more.

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius bin snack 😂😂😂

My twin girls (nearly 4) were bloody hard work at that age. I'm a solo parent and it was a bloody nightmare.
But 'punishments'?! They're bloody 2.
Maybe you need to lower your expectations and those that society shove down our throats and cut them AND yourself some slack.
At this age, it is SO healthy and appropriate to be pushing boundaries.
I'm hoping your post is in jest...😯🤯

Of course, with my five year old, I ended up with her at A&E, having tearfully confessed to having swallowed $2.50. She's bloody lucky that the radiographer took another x-ray slightly further South, because I was about ready to kill her if she'd cried wolf. . .