Terrible Twos!!! Feel like calling in Supper Nanny????!!

[Reece]

Ds (2.8) has been difficult since DS2 came along 16 months ago but in the last month his tantrums,tears and stubborness have esculated big time.

Typical morning before 9am - Jumps out cot (refuses to sleep in bed)refuses to use potty, refuses to take off pull-up and PJ's. When downstairs asks for weetabix, serve him with warm milk as asked and then refuses to eat it saying that he wants Special K instead. I say no because he had asked for Weetabix. He then proceeds to throw entire bowl of Weetabix on the floor and rant about Special K. I don't give in and try hard to ignore his tantrum. Still won't use potty, demands TV, I refuse until he uses potty and helps to get dressed and washed etc. He continues to rant and rave for 20 + mins. At this stage we are running late for playschool and DS2 is not washed and dressed etc etc.

I expect there are many of you out there that think this is just intermediate stuff but I just need some guidance on how to deal with it.. I feel myself raging inside but know that will make things worse. He is pushing and pushing me and I know I will burst at some stage.

Last night he refused to stay in his room, kept jumping out of the cot for about 2 hours screaming. He was running all over the house upstairs going through my room etc. I tried the quietly placing him back in bed again and again method (don't know what it's called) but he kept waking DS2. DH and I ended up giving up and going downstairs to leave him to it. i feel like locking him in his room.

How long does the terrible 2's last for? Do they have terrible 3's as well??? Parenting is extremely tiring and frustrating at the moment. I am not enjoying him and can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Help!!

Having a much better day today!!!
Its a Bank holiday here this weekend so DH will be with us for an extra day
We all went into town this morning on the tram and after a bit of shopping we stopped for a lovely lunch. Now DH has taken kids off to grans so I am getting a well earnt rest. I am never ever alone so this is special time. Still have time for MN though.

DS has been v.good with using toilets for his wee's all day and he even went to the potty all by himself for his poo today I am sooooo pleased. How come when you have a really tough day things just seem to fall into place the next day?

FOM - time out is not working. Have been sooo serious about it always but he just comes out of room, off stop etc and is worse. it seems to make him more stubborn and persistant. 1.2.3 is working quite well though and telling him that cross mummy will come. He doesn't like cross mummy

I do give DS2 lots of attention when DS1 is bold but tbh I don't know if this sometimes just fuels DS1's temper.

Your DD is doing so well. Poo on the toilet!!!! Wow that is real progress.

btw I resort to cbeebies a lot when making the tea. Its the only way I can get it done without burning it .

Hi FOM. Lucky you having a night and morning to yourself .

I have picked myself up again now and things are going ok here. DS has still been battering DS2 but there are 2 of us here to reprimand him. He is outnumbered

The potty business is doing ok as well. 1 wee accident this morning. We are having to remind him about the using potty though.

I am thinking of getting rid of the potty as well. You can buy those little steps that they can use to get up to the toilet and I thought this would add a whole new novelty to going to the toilet. What do you reckon?

Only problem with that is he would have to use potty upstairs as I don't want to be forever carting steps up and down the stairs.

I really fell for you reece, I have 2.7 yr twins ds/dd and 10yr ds.

The age difference is terrible, I have 10 yr old who acts like catherine tate/harry enfield charachter, and my twin1 ds is just like yours and my twin2 dd gets completely stuck between everyone, I have to make sure I get 1t1 with her.

But I get so cross inside, my eldest says I just make it worse when I get cross but what do you do, we're not robots, ya need the patience of pope benedict 16th.

I'm locking us all out of the house tomorrow, pic-nic, tent and body painting, (paddling pool to hand) all in the garden, to save housework! I've just had enough!

I mean "I really feel for you" not fell for you, gosh I'm going nuts! nuts! overload, overload, out of control, Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee BANG!

When I looked at your message FOM all I could see were loads and loads of smiles!!!!
Well done for not having to put the rope on the door! Thats fantastic. It sure sounds like a breakthrough especially as you had some interruptions to deal with as well.
I will keep my fingers crossed for you for tomorrow night. It feels great when you can communicate with your lo's and actually fel that they have understood you.

Enjoy your shopping, lucky thing.

Hi sleepysooz. My god you must have your hands full with twins at 2.7!!!
I agree, we are not robots, all we can do is our best at the time.
Sounds like tomorrow will be fun at your house. Hope you have lots of energy.

My DS had his usual stubborn and downright naughty moments today but was great with the potty. He even did a poo in the potty before bed all on his own. He asked me to close the bathroom door while he did it. He wanted privacy . If thats what he wants he can have it!
Came out of his room once tonight. We had told him we would take him to the zoo tomorrow and he thought there were animals in his room. Bless. Still keeps going on about Tigers. He has a thing about them getting him.

Thats ok sleepsooz - I knew what you meant. Gave me a laugh though.

I'm here to please! Aaaaaah! I'm in the dark on the computer and a dirty great big moth landed on the screen, nearly pooped miself, oh and well done mini reece for your potty adventures, and all by yourself!

Bed times in our household are zero bad, I have bought my dh a sofa bed for downstairs and my twins sleep with him there! He can sleep through an earthquake, so the kids don't bother him, I on the other hand am such a light sleeper!

Everbody has their own beds, but hey, I'm sure we'll crack it by the time they are 18 (gosh perish the thought)

That dam moth!

What???? So do you mean that your DH and twins sleep down stairs every night?

Yip! every night!

We tried them in beds for 3 months around eastertime and we were so exhausted we resorted back to the sofa bed downstairs!

Sleep deprivation is not my strong point! (understatement)

We are old parents, my dh is 53 and I am 45 soon! we need our sleep!

Oh and the dd doesn't go to sleep till 11.00pm and my ds wakes at 5.00am

Twins for you!

Oh dd has just fallen asleep so I'll be off now, night night!

Bet that dam moth has flown into my bedroom and is going to keep me awake all night

sleepysooz how old are the twins?
How do you cope with it all? I am an anti-christ if I don't get 7 hours sleep every night so I just don't know how you cope with waiting for 1 child to go to bed at 11pm and the other waking at 5am.

FOM - DS told me his 2 cot teddy's, mouse and pig wanted to listen to his bedtime story with him tonight and he moved them to the front of his cot so they could hear!!!!

Twins are 2.8 and I have a 10yr ds

Better to have mouse and pig joining the bedtime story than the tiger he may well see tomorrow.

FOM No I didn't see tiny tearaways this week, although we actually nearly got on the programme itself, but I got cold feet!

Gosh do I regret that now, but in all honesty, we keep telling ourselves that we don't have a problem as long as WE don't make an issue of it, and my dh doesn't have a problem with it! (he's mad)I'd go scrany, only the other week he had to work away so I had the downstairs sleeping job, and ds has a passion for ears, (not soft toy, dummy, comfort blanket like normal children) yes ears, and he was twiddling mine all night long, but my dh says he doesn't feel him doing it, told you he slept soundly. ZZZzzz!

I must get to bed

Night Reece and FOM

Did you get a good nights sleep sleepysooz?

Having a good day today. The zoo was fab. We did nearly have to cancel due to bad behaviour this morning but all was overcome and apologies were forthcoming

DS loved all the animals and because we met pals there he had his little pal to play with as well which was a bonus. Now we are home again and he is run ragged but won't nap so this afternoon may be a struggle but oh well. He is outside now helping daddy clean the car DS2 asleep upstairs so I'm getting another nice little rest.

Ds used toilets at the zoo twice

btw DS loved the tigers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

why do i keep missing everybody?
i am writing this with ds on my lap (he likes the 'moons', faces)
all is good at the moment, lots of cuddles, although he seems to be holding in going to the toilet???

Glad you had a good day at the zoo! mini reece had success with toilets at zoo aswell, my twin1 ds has a thing about where he goes when he is out, but twin2 dd (both 2.8) is facinated by toilets when out, and we spend half our time going backwards and forwards to the loo's!

Our camping in the garden all day to save keeping the house clean went pear shaped around lunch time, I was really tired and on a bit of a low today, so my energy levels havent been able to motivate the children positively 100% of time, so went for a walk this afternoon to clear the cobwebs of doom and gloom!

Can't seem to shake it off today! feeling a bit of a failure, Oh woe is me, pack it in sooz, pull yaself together, you have 3 beautiful children, be grateful!!!!!!!!!

Oh sleepysooz poor thing. Wish I could cheer you. I was really down last week and the lowest ever on Friday. I was feeling a complete failure, bad parent, not myself at all and so full of guilt for shouting etc. Its so horrible when you get like that and its so difficult to snap out of. The thing is as well, you can feel quite alone when in fact there are millions of us feeling the same. Luckily enough it normally does pass and our energy levels go up and then we start the good old plod again.....

Fresh air definately helps. Hope your walk made you feel a bit better.

I just think that parenting these days is really difficult. There is so much more competitiveness and pressure and when your kids are playing up and sapping all of your energy you feel crap.

Its days like yours that a nice glas of white wine does the trick, especially on an evening like this.

DS has been great even though he did manage to bash 2 metal spice containers on DS2's head!!! It's always before tea time.