Terrible twos has become terrible threes - are girls worse?

[dollybird]

Of course I know it wasn't going to change overnight, seems to be getting worse. Every request is met with 'no'. she won't let DH do anything for her if I'm around, and she keeps calling me then refusing to tell me what she wants - it's driving me MAD!!!!!! DH has been home with her and DS today and apparently she has been worse than ever. Will it ever end?? Any tips to stop us going insane?

my dd is nearly 4 and is getting worse i reckon - our requests are met with much eye rolling and hair flicking and general diva attitude !

Ah, yes, the threenager! Just ignore it, she'll soon get bored. Plus lots and lots of praise.

Yes lots of praise for the good stuff and totally ignoring the bad. My dd2 was really bad with tantrums and still can be (she is 3.5), she gets put on the stairs and totally ignored till she says sorry and comes out of it. Good behaviour is praised and she is slowly coming out of it now. Thought it was going to go on forever though. DD1 didnt do it.

I try to ignore where possible (ie step over her lying in the bathroom doorway so I can get ready for work!), but so often it's at the wrong time:
-dinnertime
-leaving for nursery
-going up to bed (no problem actually going to bed just getting up the stairs/clean teeth etc)

in other words, all the times you can't ignore!

Ah, maybe not just a girl thing then! DS wasn't like it all - can be a pita at times but not in the same way.

oh yes - mealtimes lately make me feel like banging my head against a door . I have to say if you dont eat this then you wont get tv/stories etc .Still i get the evil looks while dd weighs up the pros and cons.

My girl was three in June.

She's very willful.

Food! OMG! She used to eat anything. Now she pushes nearly everything away, 'It's yucky yucky.'

She's skinny as a rake. Yet she refuses anything but carbs.

Drives me MAD!

expatinscotland - you are describing my dd there . Mine also stores food in her mouth when she cant be bothered to swallow it though. Nice !

Help! When did your child start playing by him/herself for short periods when you're at home?? I'm not expecting much - 10 mins would be great - just so I can get boring chores done really...DD is 2 yrs 9 months and will not play at all by herself. If I can't play with/actively involve her in stuff she wants the TV on - I say 'no' a lot of the time and this leads to tantrums or cries of "Nobody loves me" etc, etc (which I try to stay calm about)! Am getting frustrated and grumpy - is it my fault for being a SAHM and giving her too much attention from Day 1 ??

Oops sorry think I've gone and posted on the wrong page

My dd is 2.9 and just these past two weeks or so I've been thinking 'ack, I feel as though she's THREE already, or wait, is it thirteen?!?'.

Eye rolling, face pulling, tears when tv goes off, much less distractable, contrary for the sake of it, etc. Its thrown me, I thought perhaps it was to do with me being pregnant or nursery about to start for first time or something but....reading this thread...probably just age.

Oh, and the 'why???'s started at 2.5 and are increasing rapidly!

Have you tried Playdo? My DS loves playdo and the stamps etc so i pop him in his high chair at the table and can occupy himself for up to 20mins as long as I'm popping in to him or chat to him from the kitchen.
Drawing is the same and radio on is cool too. there's no harm letting them watch TV every now and then though so you can get on with stuff