age 2.5-3 -- is this when the REAL terrible twos begin?

[americantrish]

i've noticed a lot of real changes in ds since he turned 2.5 in december. he isnt the best talker for his age, so a lot of his displeasure with a situation,etc. is voiced thru this shrieky shout which sends shivers thru me (i can only imagine what is does to strangers on the street and in shops.)

he's also become a LOT more defiant. testing the limits more and more on a regular basis.
he's very resistant to change, even SMALL change like a new toothpaste and his diet has went from limited to even more so (to the point i worry he is eating the same foods over and over and over again!)

my frustration grows quickly and i know i need to ignore the bad behaviours, which admittingly, i do 95% of the time. but i think he picks up on my frustrations with him (even if i try hard to hide it) and he acts even worse.

sigh... (i think im just having one of those "i'm a crap parent days")

thanks for letting me vent...

YES YES YES - I feel your pain! Jessica is 2.6 next week, and my word, she is HORRID!

Today she deliberately, and unprovoked, clawed my 14mnth olds face today so it looks as if she has been attacked by a cat!

I dont know how to deal with her.... she is testing me to my limits.

She also doesnt eat a lot, yet asks for "crap" all the time!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Sorry but the REAL terrible twos begin at three!

JARM> im glad im not alone (i hope you are too!). we can share our pain here together! im sorry for your little one who got scratched.

i'm having a friend over with her sons on friday (ages 3 and 1) and im worried my ds will hit or bite her son if her son (who is quite placid) does something to make mine angry.

i was brushing ds's teeth tonight before bed and he kicked me (as he was laying down) in the mouth. i raised my voice to him and he shouted that shriek he does and i felt awful. and apologised.

i feel like hiding in a hole really

ledodgy> i'm going to hide for sure then!

And they don't end until 5, or so I am told. DS is 4.9 so I will be able to tell you in a few months.

Ooh yes,mine has turned into a little sod literally overnight (2.6)Nothing is right and the tantrums are unreal.I had to pin him down with my foot in the shower today and was told that he smeared the contents of his undies everywhere today and blocked the loo with paper in nursery today.

He used to be an angel.

DS had the terrible twos just before he turned 3, he was horrid for a month and then things went back to normal.... Now he is horrid just after DH returns from a trip and DS feels the need to test boundaries again and treat us like slaves.... can't wait for it to finish but....... I heard troublesome three's and fearsome four's are to follow...

is it just me or is any ones lo little angels when other people about and devil children when it just u have no idea what to do with her

I find DS will misbehave whenever he feels like it. He doesn't care whether he has an audience or not.
I have noticed he will not play up in front of DH though. It comes in handy having a mobile so I can at least threaten to phone DH as a last resort.

Message withdrawn

My dd was a nightmare at 2. Was warned that 3 is even worse however... (whispering) in the last month she has totally mellowed.She is now 3.3 Very occasionally we have tantrums but dont last anywhere near as long as the used to. HOpefully it is not a phase.

So there is hope after all! (fingers crossed)

peridot30, will you report back in a few weeks time to reassure us that once they mellow, they remain mellowed?

DS1 was 2.4 when DS2 arrived and looking back it was such an awful time! I know a lot of it was obviously to do with the new baby but even in the months before he was getting there! I remember the desperation of being so tired and trying to get him to have a nap so I could have just an hour to myself but without success!

I think that it is true that it happens at any time as once he hit 3 he was fine - he's a star now at 3.8 but still prone to the odd melt down!

ds sometimes behaves better for other people, he used to behave better for his dad, but now sometimes dh gets the same toddler-treatment that i get...

however, one small victory today (at least for this morning!) - we managed a whole morning indoors (bad rain/wind here) with only one tantrum and before his nap, i let him watch me and then him brush his teeth in a mirror and he didnt scream!

i struggle to see the positives sometimes in these days, but as much as i can i am praising the good and turning a cold shoulder to the bad behaviours...

i just hope its a series of ups and downs (i can cope with that) and just a long strand of downs!

So glad I found this thread!! I'm at my wits end. My DD - who is normally really well behaved, albeit she has her moments has been a little devil for the past 2/3 weeks, doing nothing she is told and coming in our bed every night through the night when up til now has been really good at sleeping in her own room.
I am due my second child in just over 3 weeks so am conscious that the babys imminent arrival could be worrying her. DD will be 3 in April so it could be a combination of terrible 2s and new baby on the way.
Was thinking about making a reward chart for her - anyone any experience of these or any links to a site with some examples of behaviour/sleeping in own bed charts?