2-3.5 was awful. My daughter was a runner, had multiple hour long tantrums daily, and I had a newborn. She had zero impulse control. DD 2 is way easier ag age 2. The newborn stage was way more challenging for her. It’s totally kid dependent. |
15 months- 30 months was the hardest for both of my kids. They couldn't vocalize what they wanted, lots of frustration and not getting their way. And you couldn't reason with them. Once we got our discipline on track, smooth sailing 2-4. |
+1. Yes, the eating, the sleeping, the lack of talking. I feel like it's so personality dependent (and by that I mean the personality of the parent). I have never been able to relate to parents who say they love that their kids can't talk to them in the 0-1 stage! |
Oh man. I'd rather have a newborn any day than a little sociopath 2.5 year old who screams all day long. Newborns are so easy! |
Man, I feel like things got so much better once kid started eating independently and I didn't either have to nurse or pump every few hours. There was a lot I liked about nursing but your whole life revolves around feeding in that period. I'd also take the worst toddler tantrum over mastitis any day. |
Three was our toughest year. Half bay and half kid. He still needed naps to be ok, had to still drag some small amounts of kid gear around and required an early bedtime. He struggled with managing his emotions, especially around anything connected to competition.
Four was a improvement. He just turned five and the tail end of four and five have been heaven. My favorite time since his infant hood. He understands everything, still misinterprets funny stuff, is silly and happy. He now has the skills to wait, lose and manage most of his feelings. We never have to leave the house with anything but him, he’s up for any adventure and we don’t have to factor in sleep. He still things we hung the moon and wants to cuddle just as much as he did at three. I wish I could freeze time and stay in this moment for years. |
As the mom of a tough 3 yr old, this is wonderful to hear! I feel like my DD is *almost* there, except we are still not quite potty trained (so I’m still being back up clothes and this stupid travel seat everywhere we go), and still in that moody threenager phase where she can turn on a dime over nothing at all. We adore her but also, most days when I put her to bed I’m so relieved to get a break from her. |
DD turns 3 next month the “threenager” thing has def started. Where did my sweet, loving toddler go? I’m left with a crazy toy-throwing chupacabra who told me yesterday “stop being my friend!” when she wanted to be left alone 🤗 |
Yes x 1000. |
12 to 18 months was the hardest time for me with both my kids, based on what the previous PP so eloquently stated re: inability to communicate their increasing wants & desires.
I think also that I was ready for the "terrible twos" and having a "threenager" and the "freaking fours" but never once had I heard how challenging 1 year olds could be. So I think my expectations were that things would be smooth sailing until 2 and I was sincerely disappointed that wasn't the case. Thankfully someone introduced me to Janet Lansbury during this stage. Otherwise I think I would have lost my sanity. |