The very first post I ever published was about Terrible Twos, and how bad Baby bears meltdowns were. If I had a time machine, I’d go back in time and slap myself. He was a sodding angel compared to the attitude and backchat we get off him now. I talked about how Terrible twos had set in early well it seems the ‘threeager’ stage come nearly a whole year early. Are you kidding me?…

The older Baby bear gets the more Daddy bear and Nanny inform me he remind them of Daddy bear when he was growing up. I also know I was a cow growing up so I can’t blame it all on Daddy bear but just listening to some of the stories they tell me it is defiantly most of Daddy bears fault. I’m playing the innocent party.

Daddy bear and Baby bear.

Your Fault!…

I always said before I become a mum I wouldn’t be the type to argue with my child. I remember being so arrogant in saying “I will be the parent, they will be the child and they will listen and respect what I say and do as I ask the first time”. Again if I had a time machine. Except with the pre-mum version of me, I’d beat her for being now nieve and arrogant. If I’m being honest I was even like this when Baby bear was first born.

Since becoming a parent to a toddler I have come to be understanding that arguing with a 2 year old is just part and parcel of being a parent.  He doesn’t listen to me 8 times out of 10 I’m not going to sit here and act like he does. If he does listen to me he usually answers me back. Sometimes he does listen and no answer me back. Them rare times, I nearly fall over in shock if I’m honest. Then I check it is still my child and not an alien. Just being honest. I know I’m not the only toddler parent who feels like this but it doesn’t make it any easier when we are with other people and their children and Baby bear is the only one being a horror.

I never thought I’d spend everyday trying not to laugh at my toddler while also trying to tell him off for being a smart arse. For example, we have started counting to 3 once we have asked him to do something before putting him on time out. This worked maybe 4 times before he starts counting with me and laughing. Do you know how hard it is not to laugh at a child when you say “You have till the count of 3 to do as I’ve asked you or you are going on time out” and their response is “1-2-3 hahaha”. It’s so hard to not laugh with them while trying to place them on timeout using a stern voice. No wonder he thinks I’m a joke.

I try to only see and talk about the positives with Baby bear especially since our struggle to grow our family has begun because I am so thankful we have a healthy, happy little boy. I’m lucky enough to have a baby and I know that but at the same time being a parent to a threeager is testing and since I try to keep it real around here I’m just going to put it out there. My child can be hard work and I wonder where I am going wrong to have such an unruly 2-year-old.

If you reading this and you have a threeager just remember your not alone I have one of them too. We can get through this, I’m sure of it. Also, a glass of wine at the end of the night helps too. Don’t act like you don’t look forward to bedtime so you can enjoy a glass on the sofa in front of some rubbish TV.