Just turned 1 & 3 yr olds - it's getting harder

[Albertatata]

Arrrggghhh - when is it going to get better? In fact no don't answer that because I know I won't like the answer.

It's the 3 year old who is so draining - he never seems happy. Just moans and whinges and shouts all bloody day. The 1 yr old is a breeze in comparison. I have tried being strict with boundaries, time outs etc but I just feel like everything is a battle & it's in one ear out the next.

I'm going to start back to work 2 days a week next week which although I think will be good (to get some headspace back) I know it is just going to make my life essentially harder.

My 3 yr old is a demon at the moment as well. His bigger brother was lovely from about 4.
They are called 3-angers for a reason.
got me through.

I have the same. My just 3 yr old has started preschool each afternoon. I think the activities she gets there have interested her loads - it's much more than I can ever do for her at home. Just turned one ds has started getting a bit feisty now though so I'm sure the fun's not over yet!

Does your older one do preschool or similar?

If I invite a friend round for dd to play with I find that easier than just trying to entertain her and ds myself.

It must be hard for the 3 yr olds - having a sibling is still so new it must be pretty hard to adjust to. No real help I know but sometimes remembering that when I start getting annoyed does ease the pain a bit

Get out to as many toddler groups as you can, too.

I second what sunshine said get out to anything going! I have a one and three year old too and find them much easier to deal with if we are out and about even if we just go into town for a walk and a coffee I usually take them to the pound shop and let dd (the three year old) chose any thing she wants in the shop she thinks it's great!
I'm 36 weeks pregnant so totally understand how exhausting it is! :)

He is starting nursery on the two days I am in work. We have been doing ALOT of playgroups but even those are just awful sometimes as he refuses to share or hits a little girl or generally causes mischief.

It does get harder, they form a pack mentality :-)

Re discipline, I've found the ideas on this site really helpful. There's an email you can sign up to. (It's by Dr Laura Markham, she's a clinical psychologist.)

I have 2 the same age as yours and have recently returned to work 3 days a week. Things seem so much easier now as I get a bit of headspace and time to myself. When I get home things just don't seem as hard as they did. Towards the end of my mat leave I felt very overwhelmed and like my toddler was taking every bit of my energy. My days were full of constant negotiations, and it was so draining! Obviously things may change, but for now I'm really enjoying the balance. Not sure if that actually helps you or not!

Shhh, no one tells you when you have a 2yr old that 3 is actually worse than 2.

Sorry.

3 is worse than 2 and they get bored so nursery is brilliant. Going back to work saves a lot of people's sanity