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Today I came to the realization that the terrible twos are a dress rehearsal for adolescence. The temper tantrums, picky appetite, mood swings and love-hate relationship with everything are none other than previews for the “big one,” when our wonderful children become rebellious adolescents.
So I’m digging around in my rather empty memory bank for some of the skills I mastered getting through adolescence with my three boys. Patience, a sense of humor and not taking anything too personally were always good choices, but alas, it appears that girls are much different than boys. There is often such intensity in their responses!
For example, when my boys didn’t want to eat something, they just pushed it away. Ella looks at me in horror at a dish she doesn’t want to eat, as if to say, “You expect me to eat THIS?” She has even proceeded to put said food into her mouth just so she can spit it out with great drama.
Until now temper tantrums haven’t been an issue, but when Ella does get ticked off she stomps around throwing dirty looks in my direction until I give her the attention she feels she is entitled to. And if she is reduced to tears, they are crocodile tears that break your heart.
“No” being the favorite response of the month does get annoying, as does chasing her to get dressed, have her pullup changed, to sit down to eat or get out the door. Naptime and bedtime can be drawn out longer than a taffy pull.
But as uncooperative as our little two year olds can be as they enjoy their newly found desire for independence and demand a voice in the decisions being made, it truly is only a dress rehearsal for adolescence. After all, they don’t have their license yet, can’t talk on the phone for hours, refuse to do homework, or be highly influenced by their friends.
Fortunately our little two year olds can still be wrapped in our arms and soothed with hugs and kisses until their frustrations and anger are gone. And as exhausting as it can be running after my little elfkin, most of the time her behavior brings a smile to my lips and my heart as she finds her own voice.
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Terrible Twos and Your Toddler
just the reading I needed after having to carry a SCREAMING emma (”play!!! play!!!”) out of barnes and noble