Emma’s Diary Feature: Why I hate the term: Terrible Twos
Partnering with Emma’s Diary has helped me reach so many prospective parents, newborn mums and toddler handlers – I love hearing your feedback and support, thank you! Working with this platform is one of my proudest writing achievements and I love having the opportunity to tackle controversial subjects. This blog post is a controversial one: I HATE the term: terrible twos. Thank you Emma’s Diary for giving me this platform to share my innermost thoughts.
I’ve spoken before about phrases I hate as a parent – and terrible twos is certainly one of them. As the mother of a wild two-year-old, I can tell you that most moments are in fact the opposite of terrible.
Toddlerhood is a wild ride for everyone involved and of course, it has highs and lows but I’m a big believer in not labelling this crazy time as something terrible.
Here are some reasons why being two, or having a two-year-old, simply isn’t terrible…
The Energy
My two-year-old’s energy knows no bounds. From the minute he opens his eyes in the morning to the minute his head hits the pillow, he is non-stop.
Even on little sleep and random food, he can do more in ten minutes than most people can do in a whole day.
He doesn’t stop: cars need riding, towers need building, mess needs making.
He’s a wonderful ball of energy – but he’s also starting to play on his own and with others more. This is new for him and for toddlers around his age. He’s making friends and using this energy to make connections, use his imagination and play.
The Chatting
With two parents who could talk the hind legs off a donkey, it was only going to go one way with Jack. My little boy does not stop talking, he is a complete parrot and his own little language and way of communicating is pure magic.
It’s incredible to see him picking up new words and sayings and trying to make us laugh with his chatting. I can see when he gets frustrated because he can’t properly communicate clearly enough for his little mind.
I’d take all the chatting and new language and communication with the tantrums because I can see glimpses of his personality coming out every day.
The Movement
From the moment he wakes up to the minute we put him to bed, my little one does not stop moving, jumping, hopping and running.
Toddlers and two-year-olds have incredible amounts of energy. I often joke with people that having a toddler is much like having a dog – you need to get them out of the house and take them for a walk to burn off energy every day. And in our house, it’s often more than twice a day.
Two-year-olds have so much energy and can find themselves irritable and cross because of it. So, when I see a fellow excited toddler with bundles of energy having trouble leaving the park or struggling with following instructions, I totally get it.
Toddlers want to be free and not confined to their pushchairs or car seats. Sadly, however, they can’t always be.
Defiance
The word I’d use to describe our house right now is: defiance.
Jack, like any two-year-old, is pushing boundaries, testing us and trying to see where we are consistent. He’s a bright boy and can usually follow instructions but we’ve had episodes of him deliberately doing something he shouldn’t be (crashing into the neighbour’s gate) or doing something reckless that he’d never normally do – like running into the road. (Thankfully we live on a very quiet cul de sac and there was no imminent danger – except for my own heart bursting out of my chest.)
Some people may see a defiant two-year-old and think “terrible twos” but what I see is a need for control. I totally understand that a two-year-old’s world is all over the place – they aren’t a baby any more but they also aren’t fully fledged children. They are in between.
When Jack is being defiant, I know that he is looking to us as his parents to guide him and be consistent. The word “no” is just as important as the word “yes” and he’s acting out to see how far he can push it.
Don’t get me wrong, it can be really tiring and sometimes I feel like i say the same things over and over again. But it’s a phase!
Read the WHOLE article on the Emma’s Diary Blog here.
Do you agree with my hate of the terrible twos phrase?
How different was/is your two year old to mine?
LoveRosiee
xxx
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People Also Ask…
How long do the Terrible Twos last?
How long do the terrible twos last? The tantrums that characterize the terrible twos can last up until your child is about 3 years old. After that the tantrums usually start to peter out. If you’re still seeing regular tantrums beyond this, consult with your child’s healthcare provider.
What is the hardest year for a child?
The survey revealed that the majority of parents admitted the time period between 6-8 was the most brutal and came with the worst meltdowns (prepare yourself, the terrible twos are merely an introduction of what’s to come!)
Is it normal for a 2.5 year old to not listen?
It’s actually very common for toddlers not to listen. Unfortunately they’re not born knowing how to listen and they learn through experience. They might experience some positive outcomes for listening or some negative outcomes for listening and that’s really what helps them learn.
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