Is age 3 the stroppy madam phase?

[beatie]

.........or is it just mine?

She's about to turn three and I feel like a stranger has moved in. What other delights do I have in store?

fking fours?

My nearly 2 yo is a stroppy madam atm too if it's any consolation, which it won't be, but hey! Pick your battles and try to keep your sense of humour. That's what I keep telling myself anyway...

Well who amongst us isn't a stroppy madam some of the time? (Hint there, beatie!)

fking SODDING sevens...

I have a nearly 8 rd old Dd and a nearly 6 yr old Dd. Do you want me to tell you which ages is worse so far ?????

All of them

Nah only kidding. Dd1 hasn't been much trouble at any age really, don't think she can be bothered.

Dd2 however has managed to be awful at most ages but extremely lovable with it.

Depressing isn't it when people tell you each next stage is worse

Mine's 3 1/2 and things are getting better at the mo'. I remember when she turned 3, things were pretty awful at the time and I though we'd already had terrible 2s and now were starting a new phase at 3 and I felt pretty depressed by it! It's certainly the age when they start answering back, have to have the last word on everything and start all the 'I don't love you anymore' 'you're not my friend' or worse, depending if they've picked up any swearwords.

Anyway, to be more optimistic, it gets better, as my dd is much easier now than she was 6 months ago (or will I regret saying that... as each phase ends another different one seems to start...)

How depressing. You mean it's NOT just a phase?

Beatie, actually, my ds got a lot easier at fourish I think! Still had his moments but on the whole got a lot easier. And is mostly an absolute darling now, at 8.

It is and it isn't, beatie - girls just seem to have an inbuilt tendency towards stroppiness, IME, but it comes and goes. She will get easier and then stroppier and then easier, etc. All part of life's rich tapestry

It's so scary to see her as a little-me. I have to remind myself I am the adult and should act like one.... at times it is a battle of wills. On the other hand I am the adult and she should do as I ask.

beatie - i can relate. my dd1, 37 months old, is THE drama queen of sw london. she chooses her clothes, is super fussy with how her stuff is put away, which plate she gets, whether we go to waitrose or sainsbury's that week etc. i could go on for ages. or a personal favourite, the massive tantrum if her cheese is cut the wrong way !!! my family think its hilarious, of course they don't live with her 24/7 ... the way forward for us was bach rescue remedy, for her and us, and a continuos supply of my favourite music to cheer me up when my patience wears thin. However, that said, since starting preschool this september she has improved slightly. Good luck ! It will end, and before you know it they'll be wanting to ignore us and lock themselves in their room all evening ;-)

Was it MotherInferior who called them 'threenagers'?

threenager sounds spot on

I remember the threenager thread and related to that then with ds1 who was 3.5 at the time. dd turned three in August and dh and I frequently say we could happily give her away . She throws the most amazing wobblers imaginable and if I wasn't so embarrassed by her I'm sure I would find it funny! Ds1 is so much more easy going now that he is at school but I am really worried about dd as she is supposed to be starting school in Sept 2006 - no way will they have her if she carries on behaving like this!