Poor you, 2e terrible twos to end up at my place. You’re already in trouble twice over; you’re the black sheep—in short, you have all the traits associated with those we think are no good, those whose fate we’ve already decided. Let’s be honest: we could all do without this pre-teen crisis of a kid on a scooter who needs to prove his independence.
My older sister never really went through a “systematic ‘no’” phase, followed by an immediate “St. Vitus’ dance.” Well, a few “tantrums” here and there, but nothing really serious. We never had to walk on eggshells or go out of our way to avoid a tantrum. With you, it’s a daily thing. I’m always trying to figure out what to say and how to say it so you don’t scream, cry, or throw yourself on the floor. I act like a clown, tell jokes, and pull out pictures of dogs to distract you. We look for trucks, cars, cats… even birds. Anything goes to avoid the next tantrum.
And her big sister—what a champ. We insist that she share, that she temporarily give up her toy, which is so fascinating to the little terror who’s part of our lives. She, too, has to find ways to make us laugh, to console us, and to comfort us—all while reluctantly letting her little sister have her toy until it loses its appeal. Oh, my little champion, Mom is trying really hard not to always let your sister win.
In your destructive wake, you’re making my maternal instincts hide away. Yeah, because after my workday (I’m a preschool teacher in an 18-month-old class this year… wow, what a great idea, huh???), I don’t really feel like keeping up with my classroom mural. All I want to do is watch them play and do their homework, watch them grow. I want to remember what they looked like during those intimate moments they share. Being a dictator isn’t exactly my cup of tea. I want to end my days with tenderness and love, to savor that need we all have to snuggle up together in our nest. I don’t want to raise my voice, say “no” over and over, and push my mini-me to the sidelines.
When you finally leave this house, when our 2e When our little princess is able to express herself better—when she finally has all the skills she needs to do things “all by herself, Mom” without us having to deal with two tantrums and rush to catch the bus—we’ll be grateful. Yes, you read that right. I know I’ve insulted you; how could I not tell you the truth when you’re literally ruining our trips to restaurants, the grocery store, and the playground?? The truth is, you make us appreciate those moments when she still needed us. We’ll appreciate those moments when we can sit at a restaurant and she’ll color while waiting for her meal, without getting up. Bus rides filled with laughter because we have fun spotting birds. That moment when sharing “Barbies” will no longer be a source of anger and rage. And we’re all SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!!