Which was the worst age for you 2 or 3?

[Mum497]

Not sure I want to hear the answers to these questions but here goes...

Which age did you find your child to be more challenging with temper tantrums etc? 2 years old or 3 years old or any other age?

1. I'd say the tantrums are probably worse at 3, because they have a greater sense of what they want and can articulate it, but it's much easier to say "I understand you want a chocolate, but you can't have one. If you want to scream and shout that's fine, mum will be in the kitchen."

DD was easy going until 2.5. 2.5-3.5ish was the more challenging point.

DS entered the terrible twos at 22m. I hope we get it out the way early!

Depends on the child, I found the tears and moods the age 8 the hardest for dd2 and dd1 has been a dream but still has the teenage years to go....

Saying that mine didn't sleep through until 12 months so the baby stage was awful and the toddler stage a dream as I could actually sleep

Teenagers are amazing but have the emotions of a 2 year old at times

Nearly three and a half, and it’s been hell for at least six months. Seriously hope it gets better soon as it’s just so damn wearisome say after day after day.

Compared to this two was a breeze.

1 up to 2 with DC1... nightmare, much easier from 2. Although littlest DC is now 1, so let you know in a few years if she's the same ( so far she is)

Dear god, three. There is awful. Two year olds can be pickles, but three year olds are actual GOBLINS.

You couldn't pay me enough to raise another three year old.

2 for ds, which wasn’t even that bad, but omg, dd at 3 was a total wilful, frustrated and fearless nightmare.

2 & 3.5

Definitely 4 , she starts school in September this year and can see she definitely needs it ! Outgrown nursery and needs to move on to more stimulating environment for her age . She stomps about and has so much attitude and quite rude 🤦🏼‍♀️
Hands on hips strutting around the place , I found age 2 and 3 pretty good , so age 4 definitely more challenging!

Oh, I love age 3-4. Am I weird?? They're so sweet and interested in everything. You can have a conversation but they've not been given the attitude they get when they start school and they're out of the toddler years so more independent. 3.5 is my favourite age. It's all down hill after that 😂

@EssentialHummus

2. I'd say the tantrums are probably worse at 3, because they have a greater sense of what they want and can articulate it, but it's much easier to say "I understand you want a chocolate, but you can't have one. If you want to scream and shout that's fine, mum will be in the kitchen."

Yes I just found you’ve got more tools at your disposal with a 3 year old. They can better understand rewards and consequences. It doesn’t always work of course but there’s things you can try.

There were times with a 2 year old I just felt completely impotent because they can’t be reasoned with.

See, I found the increased verbal and cognitive ability by three was what made everything so much harder. At 2 I would just pick up the screaming, planking toddler, stick them under my arm like a surfboard and march them out of where ever we happened to be.

By three it was like going to head-to-head with a tiny Jeremy Paxman.

Mine didn't have temper tantrums. I'm not trying to see he was an angel but losing his temper didn't happen, he was generally quite sunny tempered. Very active, chatty, etc. I suppose, looking back, we were fortunate.

2 for my DD, 3 for my DS

3.5 for us.
I understood and felt able to deal with the 2 year old tantrums but by 3.5 he was very verbal, knew how to push my buttons and too big to easily pick up and hold until it was over.
He was lovely again by 4 though.

I found not much difference between 2 and 3.
4 is much better.
The worst period is once they start to walk until they are potty trained, whatever age that is.

3 by far! Although it did coincide with me having another baby at this time so who knows!

Threenage years by far with both of mine!

For DD it was 3. She was an absolute angel 18mo+(coincidentally this is when she started sleeping), and then she went to preschool at 3 and developed an attitude, which she still has now at 7! She's never, ever been naughty in her life but she started the back chat and sass at 3 and never stopped. She's still an angel for the most part. Was a proper threenager, though.

DS is nearly 3 and he's been a terrible 2 since before he turned 2. Tantrums, throwing, hitting, the odd bolt down the road... And then he can be absolutely lovely and sweet, my little shadow. He's absolutely exhausting, and I'm hoping he grows out of the 2yo phase very soon!

I second the 6 months before they start school. My eldest and now middle child were more demanding then that ever.

2 here for my eldest children. DC3 has literally just turned 2 and has my head melted.