Do the 'terrible twos' peak as they get nearer 3?

[kwaker5]

My DS's terrible twos weren't going too badly until about a month ago. He is now 2.10 and has become really whingey, clingy and tantrummy.

I've shelved toilet training for the moment. Is this just a phase or do things get worse during the 'threes'?!

DD as a 3 year old has been far worse, hoping it will settle down when she is 4.

My DS is the same. He is 3 next week and I am hoping that by some miracle he will change overnight!! This week he hit an all time high with meltdowns every day.... perhaps it is something in the air... having said that he has been utterly charming this evening and gone to bed without the usual fuss

I don't know about boys but girls are only just starting. They peak around 7 then plateau until about 12 then it's full scale hormones until they leave home

Damn! I was thinking I'd got off lightly...

I'd say he was well on his way to becoming a "threenager"

DS1 never had terrible twos, but was a naughty three year old.

5inthebed I was just coming to post threenager

mine all went loopy as threenagers.

LOL at 'threenager'! My ds is 2.10 and already grunts like kevin the teenager and huffs about like Liam Gallagher .

Oh yes yes yes give me a 2yr old anyday, its 3yr olds I have always had the troubles with

yes 'threenager' here. I thought i got away lightly when dd was 2 'oh this is not so baaad' i thought. er...it was just waiting tis all! 3yo tantrums are much worse, as they learn to bribe/emotionally blackmail, answer back, use your own words against you

Tantrums here from about 10 months to 4 years .
Love the word "threenager"! Anybody remember Harry Enfield's Kevin, the Teenager? Well, that was DS1 aged 4 including door banging, "so unfair" and stomping upstairs in a huff!

Yup - i have already had 'do you understand!' thrown at me in the most inappropriate places. Horrible when they come out with your own phrases.

met you at art gals remember?

PDW DD does the perfect 'SNOT FAIR HMMMPH' complete with pouty face, folded arms and furrowed brow. Unfortunately it only succeeds in causing DH and I to melt with laughter, so it is then proceeded with "DON"Y LAUGH.AT.ME!" cue more fits of rollling around the floor belling laughing!

He did do a sullen sulky looking away from me thing the other day when I was asking him not to do something! I almost started laughing because it was soooo moody teenager I couldn't help wondering who he'd learnt it from.

And he's been doing harumphing too.

There was me thinking what an angel he was compared with other 2 yos and how lucky I was!

I think they get more human again around 4. But I find 3 harder because they can argue back so much better than when they were 2...

Hi, giraffes, yes, of course I remember. I am trying to watch the meet-up thread a bit more carefully again.
As you were .

Glad I saw this thread...after having a particularly trying few days with Ds2 (3 in 2 weeks time).
i remember with DS1 that he was far worse when he hit 3 than he ever was at 2, and am comforting myself with the fact that now he is four, he is on the whole a very pleasant child

Things get worse during the 13s. Age 4 on, they lull you into a false sense of security, then BAM....

Please no! My little one is 2 1/2...worse?