Support Group for Parents of 3 year olds?

[zebra]

Does anyone else want to join?

I worry about mine constantly... even when she's driving me mental.

Oooooh noooooooo! Too old for any more. Too old for the one I've got ...

But when she wraps herself around me and says "I love you Mummy" ... well ...
[melt]

Although she has said once or twice that she doesn't ...

Have just picked happy, sunny DS2 (3.5) from nursery. He's been fabulous all morning (apparently) but as soon as I pick him up he turns back into the whinging, whining, drama-queen of a son I remember from this time yesterday

Why can't I have the nice child and nursery have the whinging one?

Sorry to hear that, but also glad it's not just me, my ds goes from angel to devil in matter of seconds!

Oh yes! Thought it was just me that was finding three far worse than two. DS (three and a half) and I get on great most of the time but at the moment there seems to be one big argument/tantrum a day; if it hasn't happened by lunchtime i find I am on tenterhooks all afternoon worrying when he will 'go off'. It doesn't help that he's such a happy and charming little thing most of the time. I have found the book, 'How to talk so your kids will listen and listen so your kids will talk' very helpful.
But there are some times when they really do need to have a good rage and get it all out of their system. I'm not too comfortable around 'big' emotions myself, and that's partly why I find it so difficult.

Yesterday we spent 5 minutes negotiating about which socks, which shoes, which coat to wear just to get out the door.

Couldn't face a repeat today. So in mad rush I pulled the double buggy out before she was hanging on right usually a long battle before she'll consent to be strapped in. Screeching about which shoes she wanted (I had already thrown wellies on buggy as it's wet & horrible windy). She falls off buggy, hits head hard, unsympathic mother puts her back on seat, strapped in this time, mad rush to keep up with 4yo DS cycling down the road (no stabilisers, very fast!). DD screeching & crying "I want my shoes!" alternately with "Don't run, mummy!" and refusing to wear wellies so she's still barefoot in the cold horrible wet wind.

Askance looks in playground at barefoot crying child.

Have apologised to her since... She now has ballet shoes on... not that I intend to try dance class again for a while, of course. "Why does every other 2-3yo child in the dance class cooperate except mine?" I moaned to DH.
"How many fat people do you see on California beaches?" he answered.

Oh well.

My 3 year old is definitely worse than when he was two. I say that the lows are lower, but the highs are higher IYKWIM. He started tantrums at three. I'm of the opinion that 'terrible twos' are a myth.