(Originally posted at Rational Jenn)
It's titled Your Three Year Old: Friend or Enemy. And I obviously need to read it again. It really 'splains a lot about the inner workings of the brain and emotional turmoil of a typical three year old.
Can you tell that Morgan has decided to hit the "Terrible Threes?" :o) About 6 weeks early.
It's an interesting phenomenon. My favorite part is how they wrestle with Mr. Reality and scream and rage in sheer anger and frustration because, you know, the door won't open in--it only opens out:
Child, screaming in rage: I want to push the door IIINNNNN!
Reasonable Mom: It won't go in.
Child: WHY?!?!?!?
Calm, Emotionally Detached Mom: Because when the door was hung they put the hinges on this side of the door, so if we want to open it from this room, we have to pull it out.
Child: BBBBBLLLLLLAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Really Amazingly Wonderful Mom: silence
Child, thinking up a creative solution to her problem: Move the hinges to the other side of the door!
Mom Who Is Impressed Despite Herself: Sorry, honey, I really can't do that. Why don't you go to the room on the other side and then you can push the door in.
Suddenly Cooperative Child (Warning! Warning! Danger Will Robinson!) goes to the other side of the door: Okay.
Mom Who Should Know Better relaxes for a moment and tries to think of what to make for dinner.
Child: BBBLLLLAAARRRGGGG!
Mom Who Now Feels Stupid: What's the matter, honey?
Child: I want to pull the door OUT!!!!!!
Suddenly Very Tired Mom: But it doesn't pull out from that side. It pushes in. You wanted to push the door in, didn't you?
Child who feels justified and righteous: But not from THIS SIDE!!!!! AARRRRGGHHH!
Mom looks in the liquor cabinet.
Lather, rinse, and repeat a dozen times a day until child approaches 4th birthday.
(Actually, that was a lot of fun to write!)
Both children were absolutely delightful two year olds. When Ryan turned to the Dark Side, I was so sad and shocked. Now I realize that's just how it goes, and I don't take such things so personally. But the thing with subsequent kids is that while you are better prepared for these phases and developmental hurdles, you also remember how trying and exhausting they were when you were going through it with the first kid. I just want to skip to the end--but I know it can't be done.
At least she's cute. :o)
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