Our DS is 2.5 and we are loving this age. Sure he has a few tantrums and is ridiculously picky about strange details, but we chalk it up to his age. At 2.5, he is extremely thoughtful, sweet, and creative. He's so fun and it's my favorite stage yet. Will the other shoe drop once he turns 3? Did you have an awesome two year old and then WHAM ... Threenager?
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Of the two, 3 has definitely been much much harder. Almost a week before she turned 3 was when the bad tantrums really started. I'm hoping and praying that in the same vein, when she turns 4 it'll all magically go away?!?
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As far as I can tell, my son was relatively easy at 2 and 3.
My daughter is just a few months into 2 and it's already a bit difficult! I'm very apprehensive for 3.
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2-2.5 was great. 2.5-3 was AWFUL. So so difficult. Since turning 3, things have been much better--still have tough periods, but they are much shorter, and the good periods are SO good.
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Everything was okay in our house until around 2.5, then it all started to go downhill. Now she's almost 3 and a total terror.
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I would say 3s were slight worst than 2s but my oldest seems to be a good / mild kid overall. I'm very worried about my youngest who is already quite a handful at 1 years old.
I once read that people who say 2s are terrible say that just b/c they haven't gotten to 3s yet. Ha!
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a few months after turning 3, LO has been showing a lot more willfulness, saying "no" to everything, quick to throw tantrums...all that good stuff.
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3-3.5 has been the WORST for us
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I think that the difference is that at 3 they have "attitude" so the tough behaviors are harder to deal with as a parent. At 2 it's a lot about communication but most two year olds are genuinely sweet and just need our guidance.
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2 although some days it's a close call. She whined and cried a lot from 19-27 months. And she couldn't communicate well so it was frustrating for both of us. At 3 she's okay most day but some days it seems like endless whining and crying. I think it's a bit easier to deal with though since she understands more and communicates better.
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2 was great up until about 3 months before 3.... since then it's been TOUGH, but actually now at about 3.5, things are starting to get better.
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2.5-3 was the worst for us, but we had a new baby then, not sure if that's why. 3.5+ has been great, actually!
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With DD - 2 was relatively easy (she was a very early talker so we could communicate well) and 3 has been much more of a challenge.
I'm guessing that DS will have a harder time with the early toddler phase if his verbal skills are a bit delayed. We'll see!
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It depends on the child!
LO1 wasn't too difficult during the 2s but was unbelievably challenging during the 3s.
LO2 had more tantrums as a 2 year old than 3 year old. She still has her moments but they're less frequent.
LO3 isn't even 2 yet but her tantrums are BIG...mostly when we're out of the house.
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2 was a cake-walk. 3 is impossible.
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2 has been great but she will be 3 soon and is getting more stubborn and difficult lately so I vote 3 being worse.
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There are no words in the English dictionary to adequately describe life with a three year old
Yeah. Definitely three. -
@travelgirl1: lol. Too funny!
My 2.5 year old is a terror right now . Good things to come huh
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The last waning days of 2 are ROUGH. 3 is not looking good.
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2.5 has been pretty hard so I am hoping it doesn't get worse
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This thread worries me. She's had her moments, but she's really not all that bad at 2.5. Wondering if the worst is yet to come.
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I think it really depends on your child. I have heard a lot of people say that 3 is wayyyyyy worse than 2. I hear horror stories of screaming, defiance, spitting, hitting, etc. But we are at the very end of 3 (almost 4) with my oldest and I haven't seen any of this. 3 has been our best, easiest year with her. She isn't a perfect child, by any means, but she has a people-pleasing temperament and enjoys being in good standing with her parents and other authority figures in her life. She has been like this her whole life--she has actually never thrown a tantrum. Ever. She is compliant and very helpful. Our big issues with her are whining and clinginess.
Now my second on the other hand is very defiant and independent. She isn't bothered by any sort of discipline and will just say "no" to my face all day long. She holds her ground! She throws multiple tantrums every day and is easily upset. We are just at 2.5, so I don't know if her behavior will get worse or better as she gets older.
Just from what I know (I have an almost 4 year old, 2.5 year old, and 6 month old), I think it gets better as they get older. But I may be in for it as my middle child gets older--we will just have to see!
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E turned a corner around 33 months. There are many tears now. She turns 3 next month
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2 has been way, way worse than 3.
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Have to agree that it depends on the kid.
LO1 certainly has his moments but overall is very easy. The biggest tantrums we get revolve around leaving somewhere when he is having fun. At 3 I suppose we can reason with him more but not all the time. At 2 I was able to distract him easier with food to get him out. I guess the biggest difference is there can be a bit more attitude and bossing around at 3.
LO2 is not even 2 yet and OMG we are in for it. This kid knows what he wants and flips out when he doesn't get it exactly. I am afraid for 2 and 3! -
I thought two was worse. We went through a few months of DS begging me to stay home from work, and I couldn't, and my heart got broken a little more every day. Three is tough too with all the attitude, but it doesn't feel as awful by comparison.
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LO turned 3 in November and it has been really rough since then. The opinions, negotiations, tantrums and general need to have his way has been really, really hard. He's always had a strong personality but someone please tell me this gets better????
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@Alba4: Newborn to 15 months was worse. Everything since then pales in comparison. I haven't compared 3 to 2 because both were so much better than babyhood. But I think they were pretty similar in difficulty, just changes in what was difficult.
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@Rainbow Sprinkles: My LO Is exactly like your second. SO defiant, SO independent, couldn't give two craps about the rules or consequences. I have had people in other mom groups tell me that "throwing multiple tantrums a day" is a sign of behavioral issues or even cognitive delays and I'm like no.... she's just really f'ing stubborn. And brilliant. And stubborn.
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@JoJoGirl: My defiant eldest kid, who had such bad raging, screaming, hours-long meltdowns daily at 2 years old, tested gifted, so no, it's not a sign of cognitive delays in the least, in fact, often quite the opposite. Who on earth would say that to you‽ What the heck‽
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@erinpye: I think my LO leans toward hyper-intelligent as well, so I don't take it to heart. I think all they heard was "daily tantrums" without any other context for her intelligence/language/behavior etc, and maybe that stood out as a red flag since her kid on the spectrum also has tantrums, trouble with transitions etc. For him it's probably a sensory processing issue. My kid just doesn't like being told what to do
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@JoJoGirl: haha mine don't either! Sensory Overexcitability is super common with highly-capable kiddos, and can look a lot like SPD. My kids both have it, and people only familiar with the spectrum, have asked me the same question. It's just less-understood, but it still seems balsy to suggest cognitive impairment! (ETA: being on the spectrum also is common for gifted kids, it's called twice exceptional, abbreviated 2E. So saying cognitively impaired or delayed doesn't even work for kids on the spectrum either!)
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@JoJoGirl: I can't believe someone said that to you! My 2nd is also very intelligent--she was speaking in full sentences by 15 months. I love her brilliance and her sense of humor and she's really such a fun kid, but the tantrums are no joke. @Erinpye and I are friends in real life and we talk about this often. My second also had trouble with transitions, certain kinds of sounds, certain clothes, etc. But on top of that, she's mostly just a stubborn little thing.
Sounds like you have a pretty extraordinary kiddo on your hands!
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@travelgirl1: lol yessss!
3-3.5 has been very, very tough and trying. We seemed be making progress the last month or so but man, I feel like I have a 3 year old going on 13. Defiant. Stubborn. Strong willed. Her latest phrase is "you can't tell me what to do!"
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@NovBaby1112: when I tell her off, her latest thing is to look like I wrecked her world and whisper: "you just hurt my feelings"
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This thread is making me very nervous. If 3 is harder than 2, we may all just explode from mutual frustration
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@Ms maths: haha, right? My oldest just turned 3, so... definitely not looking forward to this next year now...
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@erinpye: @Rainbow Sprinkles: Thank you both!! This morning I am recovering from literally 3 straight hours of tantruming last night so appreciate the words
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He just turned 3 and things are a smidge better than they were at 2.5 which was the worst. Things are calmer right now.
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@travelgirl1: LOL, mine does the same! so dramatic!
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