Stay at Home Moms

XP - those with boys aged 2+

is there a light at the end of my tunnel!? 

he tests me everyday and is such a busy little guy....we try so hard to be consistent with 'punishment' (i use that VERY lightly - timeout is about as harsh as it gets or is needed) and teaching him and i always make him look at me when i give direction so it's not just lost in space while i speak.

for the most part he is so sweet and will listen and helps out if i ask him to put things away (he loves to help unload the dishwasher). he is always kissing his little brother and loves kissing momma and daddy.

please tell me (if you've been through this) that he'll get better at listening, not throwing tantrums, doing things only because i said no...

and yes i get that he's a 2 year old boy and its probably a phase but i'm finding that hard to believe right now! just need some encouragement!  

TIA 

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Re: XP - those with boys aged 2+

  • It's clearly a phase.  There aren't many grown men who behave like this.  ;P

    DS1 was such an easy going kid, that I'm also struggling to keep my composure with my more "spirited" younger son.  FWIW, you're not alone.  It will pass.  

    Good luck!! :) 

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  • ariel06ariel06 member
    I feel like it gets better in some ways and more challenging in others.  My older DS is very "spirited".  It's taken me a long time to learn how to work with him.  I recommend reading Mary Sheady Kurchina's "Raising your spirited Child".  
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  • Kim&JimKim&Jim member

    I have heard that people usually have a bad year at age 2, 3 or 4.  For me, it was age 4.  The first half of their 4's was a daily struggle and they weren't fun to be around.  I think we've turned a corner but I take it day by day.

    Just be as consistent as you can with him in regards to discipline, sleeping, eating, etc. and hopefully the phase will be short lived!

  • It's not a boy/girl thing, some kids are just more intense than other kids. 

    DS1 is much grouchier than DS2, so we had to deal with a lot more temper tantrums with him. DS2 is just so so so active and loud and into everything, that it's a whole new set of things to deal with at two. Little kids are hard, no matter how they act. Hang in there!

     

    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

  • Two was a breeze, but 3 kicked my .  Four started out rough, but gradually got better.  Five is pretty good

    Good luck! 

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  • imageariel06:
    I feel like it gets better in some ways and more challenging in others.

    Yep.  

    2.5-3 was such a rough patch for us.  Like, totally kicked my butt.  He hit 3 and suddenly it got easier again (although I remember a rough - not as rough as 2.5-3 - patch prior to his 2nd birthday too, so maybe as he approaches birthdays it gets harder?).  But he's still allllll about testing boundaries.  I've had many people warn me about 3 though.  I'm skerrrred.  Something tells me as we approach the latter half of 3 things will get sticky again.

     

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  • Yes, 3 was MUCH worse than 2 for DS1. I'm hoping it's not the case for DS2...
    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

  • DS1 has always been super intense and dramatic.  DS2 was so easygoing and super mellow UNTIL he turned two and it's been hard, tough, you name it ever since.  I think part of it is he copies his older brother - who has actually gotten a lot better since starting preschool.  DS2 does not listen to anything, ever, at all and the potty training....sigh we are on week 4 w/ zero progress.  When the two of them are losing their marbles at the same time, I swear I'm going to rip my hair out! 
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  • hjk5000hjk5000 member

    I have a 2 year old boy and this sounds sooo familiar. On his bad days "spirited" would be putting it lightly. I feel your pain. I don't really have any advice other than be consistent with your expectations and consequences when it comes to big stuff and pick your battles with small stuff.

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  • For us, it kinds of ebbs and flows. 2y9m-3 was tough then it got better for a bit. The past month has been brutal-prob the toughest we've been through yet.

    i hate to be the alarmist, but many kids who are spirited have sensory issues-that was the case with my son. Implementing a sensory diet helped immensely. Might be something worth looking into. 

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