No, I'm being a little over-dramatic here, she's not that bad... well sometimes she can be, like when she doesn't get her way or gets something taken away from her or when you make her do something she doesn't want to do... and it makes me a little scared for the "Terrible Twos". If this kid already has attitude, what's coming?! However, all in all, I can still take her to restaurants without having to bail out early, the car rides with her are mostly pleasant, and she'll usually bounce right out of that mood with some good distraction. It just differs day to day, and I guess I can put up with that... just makes it hard on those days when she's practically pulling my shorts down when I'm trying to get the dishes done, wanting to be picked up, or whining and whining and whining about who knows what! She loves being outside, and it's been hard lately because it's just too hot outside to do much - besides splash pads, which she LOVES (and mommy loves them too because it wears her little butt out!!) Once the weather gets nicer again, hopefully we can get outside more to run around and play!
Ah, yes! The days where you start to realize that these little tykes are in fact, not perfect angels! Just to encourage you, I think a pivotal point for us was 15 months. I felt a little more comfortable correcting bad behavior at that point. Until then, I felt like they were just SO little and I didn't know what to do! Unfortunately, discipline will become more and more of your daily routine these next couple of years! But the trade-off is you get to start experiencing them as little people too, who can follow instruction and do it happily! Best advice is to just be consistent and to think of her instruction as a funnel; the tighter you are on teaching now the more freedom she will be able to handle later. And last, don't freak out when you feel silly "disciplining" her. That seems to be the biggest theme amongst all of us moms here. We are so unsure of ourselves and if we are doing it right! You are! Trust yourself and over these next few months you'll start to see the fruit of your labor!
ReplyDeleteI say all this as a momma who is constantly riding the discipline train and forever unsure if I am doing it right! BUT after a year and a half I can look back and recognize that we are making progress :)
Enjoy her! Life is about to get a lot harder but a lot more fun too!
Thank you Sarah! It definitely helps knowing that most other moms go through this same stuff... we have to learn about it all just like our kids do. I appreciate the advice - makes me in awe of how you do it with THREE. :) Yes, it's very hard sometimes, but SO worth it!
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