"challenging" child(ren) - are mine normal?!

[smokinaces]

Ok, how do you react when everyone you meet comments on how challenging your children are?!

I had my manager round for 15 mins this afternoon. DS2 was here, and was no different really to normal - very full on, into everything, 2 year old behaviour. He has "invisible" disabilities and speech delay, and some behavioural problems, but isnt that much different to his 4 year old brother. But she kept mentioning about how challenging he was, and was I getting enough support (single p/t working parent)

What are 2 and 4 year olds like then? Maybe mine arent "normal"? I know I
love them being in bed at 6.30pm every night, and am on citropram (marraige breakdown last year, struggled with children at times) but should I be worried about my 4 and 2 year old's behaviour more than I am?!

Do any of you get these kind of comments about your children?

Does she have children? I find my friends who don't have kids are less tolerant/understanding than those that do. Maybe she thinks children should be seen and not heard! Ignore her....

She has 2.

The thing is, shes not the first to say it.

The teacher at the childrens centre did. and the Health Visitor. And the Speech and Language therapist. And my mum.

I do wonder whether its the fact they are both boys and only 19m apart so they are both like mini whirlwinds. But after this many people saying it I'm starting to get a bit of a complex!

My DS1 is your typical 2 yr old boy- into everything, incredibly willful, energetic, quite feral really!

If you tell us more about their behaviour then you will get more of an idea of what's 'normal' and waht isn't. Some children are more challenging than others though aren't they? It's a personality thing often. My DS1 does seem more challenging and demanding than the other similar aged toddlers I know but his behaviour is still within the remit of 'normal' for a 2yr old.