September 15, 2016
First off – whoever came up with the term “terrible 2’s” needs to be punched in the face. Let’s just get this out of the way; terrible 2’s don’t exist. There are however terrible 1’s, 2’s, 3’s, and probably 4’s…etc. That was a big preconceived notion on my part though. I thought that when my son turned 2 we’d go through a rough time of him learning the world and then it would be over relatively quickly. WRONG. Call it ignorance on my part, or maybe just wishful thinking. Either way, kids have tantrums, not just when they’re 2, but from my experience all throughout the toddler phase.
Father: “Your son threw a tantrum at the supermarket today.”
Mother: “What time did you bring him there?”
Father: “I was trying to get in some shopping right before his nap.”
Mother: (under her breathe) “dumbass”
Father: “excuse me?”
Mother: “you heard me…maybe next time use common sense and don’t take him out somewhere when he’s about to get tired.”
Father: “you’re right dear, you’re always right.” (cough cough)
Similarly with hunger – it’s a little harder to tell because kids eat different every day and usually at every meal. My son will eat like a pigeon one meal and like a tyrannosaurus the next. However, if you have them on sort of a schedule, you should know the estimated time they’ll be hungry. Same as being tired use common sense and don’t make them miss or be late for meals. Or if you don’t have a choice, bring snacks and water everywhere you go. So if your spidey-senses start kicking in that things are about to get real, at least you could give them something to hold them over until you can get them a real meal. Frustration is a difficult one, because it’s situation specific. Just try to help and coach them through the situation. Remain calm and assist them along the way trying to explain to them that it’s ok that everything isn’t perfect. Just show them that you care and that you are there for them. Lastly, give them choice in certain situations, like what they want to eat for breakfast or what game they want to play. This gives them a sense of control in the matter. I completely get the old tough guy adage of “they’ll eat what I make them, or they won’t eat at all”. But the fact of the matter is, it’s not worth your time and energy to fight this battle. When all you need to do is just ask them what they want to eat and meet in some middle ground. “I want cookies for dinner.” “No way Jose, cookies are treats and you only get a treat if you finish your dinner. Now do you want chicken nuggets or mac and cheese?”August 27, 2024
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August 27, 2024
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