Bring On the Twos

I hear so many parents (and sadly, grandparents) refer to two year olds as 'the terrible twos' ... oh, please! I love two years olds ... in fact, from eighteen months to about three would be one of my most favorite times in child's life! When I tried to figure out just what it was adults did not like about this marvelous age, I was stumped. So, I began to ask parents of those dreaded munchkins to see just what it was they didn't like. 

Remember, I was the owner/operator of a family home day care and at the time I had four who fell into that age group. I was intrigued and enchanted by their perspective on the world around them. So inquisitive and such an imagination!

Then it dawned on me as I listened to a couple parents talk about my beloved age. They don't listen. They are defiant. They are argumentative. YES!! They are and I love it! It's not all about you, parents! We want our children to challenge authority. We want them to demand answers to questions. We want them to talk to us!

So, here's the deal .... if you are the parent/grandparent of a two year old ... enjoy it. Listen to them. Take the time to explain, set limits (and be prepared to explain your reason), and tell them your expectations (and expect them to tell you their expectations!) and stop trying to control their every thought. Embrace their thoughts and ideas. Be prepared for them to catch you in an error or even a lie ... own it ... love that they're so smart and embrace every moment. Besides ... if you can't embrace the individuality of your toddler, what will you do with them as a teenager?

Just sayin'.