Please tell me your 3 yr. old is making your life hell

[earthgirl]

I don't really have a question, but could really use some commiseration. I know three-year-olds are hard, and I know eventually the behavior we'll get better (or at the very least she'll move out someday!), but please, just tell me that I'm not alone in finding this year to be really, really challenging. I don't even think I can begin to list the amount of things that DD is doing that makes me totally nuts.

And this should be obvious, but of course I love her immensely, and she's pretty delightful, etc. It's just... UGH! so much of the time!

[lotusdebi]

My 3 year old is incredibly mischievious. He loves doing the opposite of what he's told to do. He tries to make as much trouble as possible. He seems to enjoy annoying his big brother. He was a pretty easy kid until about a week before he turned three. Now he's a little devil!

I'm an incredibly patient person, but this kid makes me lose my patience regularly! And then, when I'm about to explode!!!!! - he'll tell me he loves me, give me a kiss, want a hug, share his cookie, or something else really sweet and wonderful. And I forgive him for everything.

It's a hard year. It was hard with my older son, and it's hard with my younger son. I know 4 will bring more attitude and obnoxiousness and disobedience in his yearnings for more independence. It's not like it gets easier from here. Just different.

[jpaigeadams]

You're SO not alone!!! Try making it 3.5 yr old twins and an 18 month old thrown in the mix. LONG days. Our first line of defense is to get out of the house - the backyard, the park, a walk. Even if it's hot. Or if it's too hot, someone else's house, the mall indoor playground, anything. Things just seem to go so much better when we're not at home.

[2cutiekitties]

Yep, DS is almost 3 1/2 and it is very very interesting these days.

[Qbear'smama]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

My 3 year old is incredibly mischievious. He loves doing the opposite of what he's told to do. He tries to make as much trouble as possible. He seems to enjoy annoying his big brother. He was a pretty easy kid until about a week before he turned three. Now he's a little devil!

I'm an incredibly patient person, but this kid makes me lose my patience regularly! And then, when I'm about to explode!!!!! - he'll tell me he loves me, give me a kiss, want a hug, share his cookie, or something else really sweet and wonderful. And I forgive him for everything.

It's a hard year. It was hard with my older son, and it's hard with my younger son. I know 4 will bring more attitude and obnoxiousness and disobedience in his yearnings for more independence. It's not like it gets easier from here. Just different.

I agree with this, DD was a pretty easygoing kid until 3, then she went a little wild and now, at 4, has definitely hit that "Attitude, obnoxiousness and disobedience" phase big time. But 3 was an eye opener for us because before that, she was agreeable, apart from the odd meltdown from tiredness or hunger. We were like "terrible twos, what's that?" Um, yeah, it hit at three!!! And I am NOT incredibly patient! But the affection and love does wipe it all away, thank goodness!!

[Awaken]

Originally Posted by lotusdebi

My 3 year old is incredibly mischievious. He loves doing the opposite of what he's told to do. He tries to make as much trouble as possible. He seems to enjoy annoying his big brother. He was a pretty easy kid until about a week before he turned three. Now he's a little devil!

It's a hard year. It was hard with my older son, and it's hard with my younger son. I know 4 will bring more attitude and obnoxiousness and disobedience in his yearnings for more independence. It's not like it gets easier from here. Just different.

Ditto here. Mine is 4.5 now and was the easiest kid ever until his 3rd birthday. It's been so hard ever since. Same things as you said, antagonizing his brother, making repetetive annoying noises, laughing in my face and running away with everything I say. Nothing seems to faze him. Yet under it all he is still so sweet and loving sometimes. Just waiting, trying to hang on, hoping this phase will end soon.

You are definitely not alone!

[Banana731]

Ack! Yes she drove me totally nuts from almost 3 until, um, a couple of months ago when she turned 6. No really, it's not funny. Preschoolers are rough.

My youngest seems easier in comparisonthough (almost 3) so maybe there's hope for me...

[Addy's Mom]

Oh, yes, I thought that had become his full time job. Hysterical swings of emotion from loving/cuddly one minute to shrill screaming for no apparent reason the next. Sometimes he wants nothing more than to make me happy. Others, he's tearing off through the aisles of the grocery store trying to "lose" me. And he's preferring Dad to me right now, which while it's great for them to spend so much time together, I miss things like reading books at night together.

That book: "Your Three Year Old: Friend or Enemy" is awesome, if you are into parenting books.

[bluebirdiemama]

You're not alone! My 3 yo can be a major sweet heart, but man can he be a handful. Most of the time it's when I am really not in the mood that he chooses to push all the wrong buttons.

[lotus.blossom]

My three year old is awesome! it was TWO that was hell. I mean I didn't think I would survive it. And now that he is one week from turning Four he is acting like he is two again. I just wonder if every even year is going to be miserable for us!!

Take heart! The difficult behaviour ebbs and flows.......

[jess152]

3 is the new 2! It's bad here too.

[major_mama11]

My DD made me life hell quite a bit at age 3, up until just after she turned 4. Now, it has gone from me wondering how I could feel so much rage towards such a small person on a daily basis, to her being a fairly obedient, pleasant little person (at least most days ).

It gets better... at certain ages I think it's just about surviving each day.

[aramat]

Personally, I'm great with babies and toddlers, but then they hit age 3 and suddenly get smarter than me...and it just gets harder and harder from there!

[greenemami]

nak...this thread makes me feel so much better that it s not just me! dd was 3 in april and there are moments when i am so incredibly proud of amazed by her and moments when she reduces me to tears of frustration and wondering where i went wrong!

people say the todler years are an intro to what the teen years will be like...ahhh!!!!!

[LynnS6]

For sale: One Gently Used 3 year old...

For sale: One Gently Used 3 year old

This was a thread I posted when dd was 3. She's 6, we've still got her .

[momtoS]

My three year is a hand full. ALL THE TIME. On the weekend she bit her 5 year old sister and drew BLOOD. Sometimes I feel bad for my 5 year....she has to listen to the endless whining and fits....

[Norasmomma]

Normal. 3 y/os are kinda a PITA, 2 was worse for me due to pregnancy, but DD was ahead of the curve in many ways. Highly verbal, armed with a challenging attitude at times=pure hell for mama.

She's almost 4, and is getting better daily.

[sunnygir1]

I have always thought 3yo's were harder than 2's, and my dd was really quite easy, but lately she has been driving me nuts. She's almost 3.5, and she has started talking in this baby voice and saying "wah" all the time. She is quite disobedient and always climbing on things she shouldn't be. She plays with water everywhere and makes messes with scraps of paper and sand out of the sandbox, etc.

I just posted a message similar to yours on the baby forum about my 9mo ds. I am feeling like I have a double whammy of difficult ages right now; they are both very challenging for me right now.

We have been going through some transitions here the last month or so, and I'm hoping that things will settle down soon!

Of course, both of my children are actually pretty easy kids and very delightful most of the time; parenting is just such a huge and challenging job!

[Norasmomma]

Originally Posted by sunnygir1

I have always thought 3yo's were harder than 2's, and my dd was really quite easy, but lately she has been driving me nuts. She's almost 3.5, and she has started talking in this baby voice and saying "wah" all the time. She is quite disobedient and always climbing on things she shouldn't be. She plays with water everywhere and makes messes with scraps of paper and sand out of the sandbox, etc.

I just posted a message similar to yours on the baby forum about my 9mo ds. I am feeling like I have a double whammy of difficult ages right now; they are both very challenging for me right now.

We have been going through some transitions here the last month or so, and I'm hoping that things will settle down soon!

Of course, both of my children are actually pretty easy kids and very delightful most of the time; parenting is just such a huge and challenging job!

Did it start with your son becoming mobile? My DD went through a phase a couple months ago with DS's new mobility, she started acting like a baby, and being super difficult. For us we had to do a reward chart to help get her behavior under control.

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

Did it start with your son becoming mobile? My DD went through a phase a couple months ago with DS's new mobility, she started acting like a baby, and being super difficult. For us we had to do a reward chart to help get her behavior under control.

Yes, I think it did. Thanks for the idea.