Terrible Twos VS Troublesome Threes

Round 1.  Ding Ding Ding!

Which one is worse?  My opinion is 3 year olds.  Whoever said two year olds are the hardest to deal with is crazy and has obviously never had a three year old.

Two year olds are all sunshine, sweet smiles, and giggles.  Three year olds have an opinion and are NOT afraid to let you know it.  You can still hide items from a two year old (or at least a young one); they forget about it and go play with something else.  Not so much with a three year old.  They remember everything, even things you wish they would forget (aka those certain four letter words that accidentally slip out every now and then).  Take a toy away and hide it, they will hound you until they decide you are standing firm in the stance of 'you are not getting it back to learn a lesson' or 'yes, I'll give it back just to stop the whining!'

As another mom with a three year old recently said, "They have all these emotions and feelings going through them and sometimes they just have no idea how to express them.  Then the tantrums start."

Such a true statement.

And you never quite know whats going to set them off.  Something minor will be the end of the world.  But something you consider major, you have the conscious thought of, "Ah hear it comes." Then nothing happens because they brush it off.  And you are sitting there thinking, "What the hell just happened!  This cannot be the same child that had a breakdown over XYZ."  It is one of those mysterious things that I have put in the category of 'I'm not ever going to figure out this parenting gig because nothing makes a lick of sense.  I'll just wing it from now on.'

It doesn't help me that I'm raising little men.  Yes, they may be little boys or toddlers now, but one day they will grow to be men.  And to this day, I still don't get men.  I say this with a lot less shock now-a-days because I've just accepted it.  Like my boys pulling down their pants and saying, "Look Mommy!  It's my penis!"  Then pulling up their pants and going on about their day like that is the most natural thing in the world.  I don't understand it.  You don't see girls whipping off their shirts saying, "Look, boobies!"  Although, I'm sure the response would be way different.

Anyway, raising boys and having the troublesome threes are difficult, to say the least.  I swear sometimes I wonder why I put myself through this.  As a first time parent, you envision all the wonderful things with your children, then reality slaps you in the face with a Ha ha! you didn't think it would be that easy, did you?!  Yet, here I am about to be a third time parent to three boys.  I must be a glutton for punishment.

So back to my original dialogue, 3 year olds are much worse than 2 year olds.  If you disagree, you must be one of those parents who say they have a perfect child who never gives them any trouble.  If that is the case, I hate you.  Don't lie to yourself any longer!  Embrace the imperfectness of your own child.  It's what makes them unique, and you human.

And if you agree or disagree with me, let me know.  Its always fun to hear other people's opinions.