For those who had the terrible two's.....

When does it peak and when does it get easier??

The begining of the two's was okay but now that they are 2.5 it seems as though we have descended into He!!. They fight constantly.....when they are getting along they are getting into some sort of trouble together. Not to mention the mouths they have........they tell me no, plus they hit me or pinch me. I have read other mom's comments on here that it kind of gets worse before it gets better so I am wondering when it will get better??

I guess after reading the above I am making them out to be monsters......I would like to add that they are also very sweet kids but they have days when I swear I need an exorcist to come in!! All in all I still love 'em a ton!!

Thanks for your help!!

Hilary

 

I could have written your post! My DD especially, she is both the sweetest little thing and also can be a monster. My biggest thing is it seems like what works for everybody else doesn't seem to work for her! And I TOTALLY feel like I am not doing anything right and I am going to raise two spoiled brats!!!! I am seriously scared about the next couple years! Looking forward to reading other people's posts about this! Karen

 

For my boys, the terrible 2's were nothing, it was the 3's that had me pulling my hair out. With my DD, she started around 18 months and she's just now (she's 2 1/2) starting to morph back into the sweet lovey girl she used to be. I hope it passes quickly for you - definitely a hard stage IMO.

 

Hmmmm...the thing is, I think it varies with all kids. I think terrible 2s for some happen earlier and some happen later. I know moms that say 2 was easy compared to 3, and 2 was easy compared to 1...KWIM?

My boys have thier moments...they are 27 months almost 28, and they hit a lot...its all about control, and testing limits. Im not sure if it gets better or worse from here...I know keeping mine somewhat contained and really busy helps...We have a BIG toy area, and the backyard to keep them busied. We took the biggest bedroom in the new house and made it a playarea.....Dh and I sacrificed the nice big master bedroom for a smaller one until other things can be done (I.E, the basement getting refinished)...Its worth it!!!

Moms will disagree Im sure, but I use educational TV too...it teaches them manners, colors, alphabets, songs, all along while Im doing the same...it gives me some sanity (now that I am pg esp)...

Good luck...I know its challenging.

 

Hey there! Are you living in my house! I too have 2.5ers and WOW, they are exactly as you decribe- terrors to each other and to me. I had three daughters before my two sons and while they were terrible at 2, they didn't hit me or bite me like the boys do. I don't have much advice, but you are not alone.

 

LOL.... I could write all these posts!!!

My twins will be 3 soon. Some days (hours) they are best friends & others they can't even look at each other without talking UGLY!!!

I remember with my son, things did change at 3, but 3 has it's own set of challenges...... as does 4. One of my friends call it the "freaking 4's"!! Each stage is better, but just new challenges. I am learning it's way different with 2 the same age!!

 

for all of my kids it seemed to be a 1 year process. But they started at different times. For instance #1 was the terrible 3's. It was much harder than 2. For DD#2 she was a nightmare from 1.5 to 2.5 and then started to mello. Ds who is #3 NEVER had the terrible twos BUT now he's having a terrible 5 lol! Thats another whole story. Lots of moms find the summer before kindergarten and during K to be awful also. Now my twins started right just before 2 so I'm hoping we'll be done with the hitting and hairpulling in less the a year

 

I'm also going out of my mind and my twins aren't quite 2! I honestly think it starts around 18 months and doesn't end until after they are 4. That's the way it was with my DD anyway. The boys are more challenging in some aspects than her and they are easier in others. Every child is different, I have to try to remember that when I'm pulling my hair out!!! :crazy: :crazy: My boys bite more than my DD did and I would love to know how to nip that in the bud!

Sara

 

Mine haven't hit that stage yet (though it sounds like it may be just around the corner) -- but I just wanted to comment that it's funny how people say different things in response to different questions. Whenever someone posts about whining, starting temper tantrums, and other things that hit around 12 months, people seem to say that it gets better around 18 months because they can communicate better. But when someone posts about the terrible 2's and 3's, people say things started going to h@ll at 18 months!

(ETA: I'm particularly interested in this phenomenon because mine are 18 months today.)

FWIW, I read some developmental book that showed it as a 6-month pendulum. For whatever reason, this guy said the "bad" periods tended to be around the half-birthday (18 months, 2.5 years, 3.5 years) and the "easier" periods tended to be around the actual birthdays.

 

QUOTE(MommyTo3andCounting @ May 17 2007, 10:23 AM) [snapback]258666[/snapback]
For my boys, the terrible 2's were nothing, it was the 3's that had me pulling my hair out. With my DD, she started around 18 months and she's just now (she's 2 1/2) starting to morph back into the sweet lovey girl she used to be. I hope it passes quickly for you - definitely a hard stage IMO.



I was going to say the same thing. I found with my oldest DD, it wasn't the terrible 2's it was the terrible 3's. I've heard many people say that the 2's does not compare with the 3's.

 

My girls started at about 19 or 20 months with the whining, frustration, yelling, etc. They hit and scream at eachother, and cry over the most ridiculous things (ex. Mackenzie wanted to hear a commercial on the radio that was over and no amount of explaining helped. She was flipping out and crying up a storm, and wouldn't let me take her out of her carseat). I hope that three is easier.

 

We went through a stage at about 18 months. Hasn't been too bad lately though. All of my friends (who have older kids) swear that 3 is WAY worse than 2, so who knows. I think it's different with everyone.

 

No answers, just wanted to commiserate. My 26 month olds are more than a handful now, can no longer be contained in a safe area (e.g., they climb off the deck and over gates, our wooded yard is way too big for them to be out in by themselves (> 3 acres), and in the house they tear everything up. I work 2-3 days/week, and on my days off often don't get anything done until they're in bed, which of course robs me off sleep. We don't use daycare, and dh and I (both nurses) have 1-2 days a week off together... more often than not, we're too tired to do much of anything then.

Having a support system would help, but Grandma is on another continent and there is no one else. When will it get better?!

DeLana

P.S. They're currently in time-out in their cribs (with tents), the only safe place for them anymore.