When people told me about the terrible twos, naive as I was, I didn’t believe in this “phenomenon.”
As if all our kids were robots programmed to start acting out and throwing tantrums—like little demons—on a specific date. Yeah, right! How could my perfect, calm, smiling little boy turn into a monster on two legs?
Well, just like that, Mom—just like that… Overnight, the nightmare arrived. I swear I can even pinpoint the date: April 5, 2017—the monster’s first day on the job.
Here are the two standard reactions my little monster has to any kind of refusal:
- The classic “bacon tantrum”—throwing himself face-first onto the floor, screaming and crying as loud as his vocal cords will allow. Warning for sensitive parents: this reaction can be intense and leave you in shock the first time, but don’t worry—he didn’t hurt himself during his stunt. He’s just completely crazy—forget everything you knew about “Child 1.0”; you’re now dealing with “Child 2.0”! At this point, you might want to warn the neighbors that the monster is in action, just to reassure them that he isn’t in mortal danger every five minutes.
- Moms, never—ever—decide to fold the laundry that’s been piling up for a little too long, because that’s exactly when the monster will throw everything within reach! Clothes, toys, knickknacks, dishes, grenades—nothing is spared—so you’d better keep an eye on what you leave lying around. Read here: “Keep all fragile objects out of reach” if you want to make sure no unfortunate incidents happen, such as the death of your Buddha head!
Okay, I’m exaggerating! But only a little. Still, this is a phase during which your child is exploring their independence, and it’s therefore important for their development. If I had one piece of advice to give you, it would be to be patient and try not to burst out laughing at the circus unfolding right before your eyes…
Maryline Marleau