The Terrible Twos or the Testing Twos?

We’ve nearly gotten through the ‘terrible two’s’! As my little man’s 3rd birthday is on the horizon, I have found myself reflecting on the 2nd year of his wonderful little life.

I have to be honest – the old ‘terrible two’s’ weren’t as terrible as I had imagined them to be. That does not mean that we are raising an angel, nor am I going to try and pretend even for a second that our little toddler isn’t a strong willed little s*d at times, because he is. Oh he is.

It’s just that we have found the two’s, more ‘testing’ then ‘terrible’.

When the toddler was invented, I am pretty sure that our creator was chuckling to himself thinking, “This will be a testing time for them”.

My goodness, nothing pushes my buttons like a relentless 2.5yr old who doesn’t want or need to do anything that he doesn’t want to do.

Want and need are B’s words of the month. Used in two very simple sentences…

“I don’t want to” and “I don’t need to”. Although to give him his due, he also uses them extremely well when he does want or need something.

This is how most mornings go on your average working day in our house, beginning, of course, at 6am……..

“I want to go downstairs”

“I want my milk”

“I need to watch the Three Little Pigs”

“I need to build a house”

“I need to blow the house down like the wolf”

“I want some watermelon”

“I don’t need to get dressed”

“I don’t need to do a wee”

“I don’t need to go to school”

“I don’t need to put my shoes on”

“I don’t need to wear that coat”

Dressed and leaving for nursery………………

” I don’t need to go in this car”

“I want to go in that car” (points to a random car)

“I don’t need to have a seat belt”

“I don’t need to go on this road”

“I don’t need to go left”

“I don’t need to go under this bridge”

“I don’t need to go on this road”

“I don’t need the sun in my eyes”

“I need my hat”

“I don’t need to get out of the car”

 Walking into the nursery…………………….

“I don’t need to go to school”

“I want Nonna to pick me up”

“I need to have some wetabix”

Walks into his classroom and sits down…………..

“Bye Mumma!”

I’ve lost count of the amount to times I’ve told him that ‘want doesn’t get’, and that the way to ask for something is to say ‘please may I have’ or ‘I would like’. He is getting better at it, but the overall stubbornness really is something to behold. Obviously I have no idea where he gets it from…

Of course you do son!

Related posts:

Are we entering the terrible twos? Terrible Two’s – Standing his ground Toddler Traits