I have raised two boys through the “terrible” toddler years and Little A is now right in the thick of it. Before Big A was born everybody warned about the “terrible twos” and so when he was actually pleasant and well-mannered most of the time I thought we had gotten lucky…and then he turned three 😉
With all three boys the two’s phase was actually smooth compared with the threes and I have had lots of other parents say the same thing. At two years old they are still learning so they are mimicking your every move, and are most times just a bigger version of that sweet one year old. At three years old they become a little impatient and are testing their limits so the talking can sometimes turn to yelling, they resort to throwing toys, hitting when they don’t get their way, and sometimes you might wonder if a demon has overtaken them in their sleep.
I remember when Little A was going through an “I don’t like my bed” phase. He would fall asleep anywhere besides the bed even on the floor L and then I would move him into his bed. One night around 2 am I woke up to him yelling “NO BED” and when I walked into his room he was destroying his room; throwing pillows, blankets, and sheets while screaming like we had ruined his whole world. I doubt he was even fully awake and I joked to Hubby the next morning that we had a visit from Hulk in the night. It was funny after the fact that waking up in his bed could cause such anger but to him it was not his way so therefore he felt it necessary to freak out.
Other times he will annoy his brothers. I try to explain to them that he just wants to be with them (most times I believe this to be true) and to cut him a little slack because he doesn’t know how to express himself appropriately yet. I then remind them that he will grow out of this just like they did (even though most times they don’t seem to believe me, or remember ever acting like that themselves!). This phase seems like a big deal when it is happening but it will pass and you will miss the days he actually wanted you to play with him 24/7. You will wish he wanted you to repeat his train’s names four times instead of him preferring to be at a friend’s house.
THE BROCKMANS 