Any toddler mommies here?

chosen175

Dd turned 3 about 6 weeks ago.  For the past 3-4 months, she has been a holy TERROR!!!!  She used to be so well-behaved, so eager to help out, so sweet and gentle and calm.  Now it's like she's a totally different kid, and to be honest, I like the old one much better.  Everyone warned me to be prepared - that 3 is MUCH worse than 2.  But after being with dd all day every day, by the end of the day, my nerves are shot and I find myself raising my voice at her and putting her in time out over every little thing.  I love her dearly, but I just flat out cannot take this behavior anymore!!!!!  The constant screaming, kicking, backtalking, whining, throwing things, jumping on furniture, destroying things, running away from me in public, breaking free when we're crossing the street, pushing younger kids, refusing to eat, oh - and did I mention the constant WHINING? Absolutely NOTHING has changed at home or in her routine.  Everyone says it's just a phase but it's a phase that I really and truly cannot handle.

Help!  Please!  My sanity is on its last leg.

ludyjanboltz

I am not looking forward to these behaviors at that age. 

I don't know anything about it yet, but hopefully this phase will pass quickly and move on to a sweeter one.

natalie115

I don't have personal experience, but this is what my SIL is dealing with right now. My niece turned 3 at the end of May and all of a sudden she is a little hell raiser! She's always had some spunk to her (which I love b/c she reminds me a lot of me that way) but lately she has been, to put it frankly, a brat. I have no advice, but you're not alone! That is something I'm not looking forward to when we have kids.

Mrs.PsyD

I don't have a toddler (yet), and I have little experience with kids under 7, but I wonder if she is in the middle of one of those "limit testing" times. I know kids do this periodically as they learn to be more independent and assert themselves. It's like they are looking for their new age appropriate boundary. 

I can only imagine how frustrating her behavior is at this time, so lots of hugs. I'm sure it's very overwhelming. The best advice I can give you is be consistent in your limit setting even when she has your worn down to your last nerve. This WILL just be a phase if she quickly learns the limits.

Parents get into trouble when they get get so beat down by the repeated negative behaviors that they give up the goat and let the kids do whatever, then later when they get a second wind go back to disciplining. This accidentally reinforces the negative behaviors because the kid learn that if they can beat mom/dad down, they get a chance to run the show.

The good news is that kids want/need boundaries so after she learns them she will return to her happy cute little sweet self. (hopefully until she's a teenager, then rinse and repeat).