those with boys aged 2+

2u2wow · May 2013

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

**ETA - for the record all my girlfriends have little girls so i am always comparing him to them and they are so well behaved and play so nicely...he's the one running around and touching everything haha

stever · May 2013

IDK. My kid was an awesome 2 YO but the description of your LO suits my boy now, and he's almost 4. Sad

I'm gonna go with it being a developmental thing and, with consistency on your part, he'll get over it eventually.

mommytoconnor · May 2013

Yup it's a stage, or at least I think so. My son is gonna be 3 yrs in June. About 8 months ago I was at my wits end with his tantrums and horrible time disciplining him. I was making him look at me when I told him not to do something. I was told by a OT and a ST that I shouldnt be making him look at me, which is something I had always been told. Turns out that a lot of times kids can only pay attention to one thing at a time, so either they are listening when you talk or looking at you when you are making them, but sometimes they can't do both. So when I was making my son look at me, he wasn't hearing what I was saying. Never thought of that, but turns out that they were onto something. I found that I would tell him not to do something but not make him look at me, and it seemed better. He also would run around touching things he knew he shouldn't and that seems to be much better, but at the time, I wasn't sure I would ever see a "good" kid. Now I see that "good" child. My friends also have girls and are always comparing him, but he is an active little boy who has no fear, so just hang in there and ignore them.

AimeeL85 · May 2013

My son is only a few months older than yours so I'm not through that tunnel yet, but I can sympathize. Some days (if not most days) are so hard right now and at times I really feel like I will lose my mind. Like yours, he's so sweet and loving...but is just a 2 year old boy in every way and it's so challenging.

A lot of my friends also have girls and I was actually going to ask on here if it was just my perception or if girls are more well behaved toddlers.

I hear that 3 isn't much better...*deep breath*

Kissimi21 · May 2013

Your 2 year old sounds just like my 2 year old. They are starting to feel independent (or defiant, from a parent's POV) and act out to test their boundaries. My friend's DS was practically demonic at 2, was complete bugger at 3, but turned into a great little guy at 4, so there is hope. As far as boys being worse than girls the same age goes, I think boys are harder until 12. After that we get a break, and those with girls get to deal with PMS, mood swings and boy band crushes.

pitterpatter129 · May 2013

Mine is almost 2.5, and I can only say it has gotten worse over the past few months, but I hear it does get better! I've worked with a lot of really cute 4 year olds, so I know they become slightly more human and less "act on every thought and impulse" by then. Hang in there!

spring_time · May 2013

Sorry, but mine is 3 and has gotten progressively more active and headstrong. I feel like I am not even parenting, I am just containing and trying to prevent disaster. I told my husband yesterday that I think I am doing it all wrong.

FWIW, I have also seen a HUGE difference between boys and girls at this age. I have one friend with two girls and I feel like she looks at us appalled by DS's behavior.

OutOfStep81 · May 2013

It does get better. Mine is still in this phase, but it's slowly getting better and he's learning (after a million times it seems) that the rules and boundaries aren't changing.

Hang in there.

rlyttle · May 2013

DS will be 3 in September. He just started to make the turn from Tantrum City about 3 weeks ago. He has been quite a challenge for about a year now. I'm holding my breath that this sticks!! He still has little meltdowns, but NOTHING like before. I'm soooo hoping that we are pulling out of the terrible twos!! On the other hand, one of my best friends has a boy the same age and hasn't even hit this phase yet. Every kid is different.

MrsWindyCity · May 2013

For us, he was okay at 2. At about 2.75, everything went downhill. And I'm pretty sure we're still going downhill. Sometimes, it baffles me what toddlers get pissed about. If only you could reason with them. :P

crawfordk · May 2013

Same here. My son is so sweet & loving but we have entered the twilight zone recently. Him & DD fight constantly. Then turn around & hug on each other. He tries to kick us when he's mad. DH HATES that. This just started 2 days ago.

If he's just throwing a fit, I send him to his room until he can calm down.

My problem is flat out disobedience.

You can just see it in his eyes that he wants to see what he can get away with. I just have to be consistent & if I say don't play in the water & he does, then he goes straight to time out.

We wrestle with the kids all the time but DS seems like he does better behaviorally once he's gotten that out of his system.

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