8 THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT THE TERRIBLE 2s

Hello everyone!

My sweet little boy turned 3 in January, and the other day I was thinking about how fast time is going, and how I wish it would just slow down a bit. I was also thinking about the terrible 2s phase, and how its very slowly coming to an end. When my son Liam turned 1, I remember being really scared about the terrible 2s because I would always see and read and hear crazy things about it. Now that he's 3, it really wasn't so bad. Here are 8 things I learned about the terrible 2s:

1. View the world through your childs eyes

I learned that if you see how your child sees, you don't really stress as much. So when my kid was throwing a mini fit in the store because he wanted to play with toys, and it was time to go home, I went down to his level and talked to him. Which brings be to the next point.

2. Talk to your child

I learned that I don't need to use a baby voice or baby words to speak to my 2 year old. If your child is crying, go down to his/her level and talk to them in almost a whisper, and they will stop crying because they want to hear what your saying. Instead of saying "oh that's a no no" they will perfectly understand when you say "I don't want you to do that because you can fall and get hurt, and mommy doesn't want you to get hurt."  They understand a lot more then you think.

3. Ask them questions

If you see your child is a bit stressed out for what ever reason, take some time to sit with them and ask them what they are feeling. They will tell you in their own words. "Tell me why you're sad?" "Whats making you feel this way?" "How can i make it better?" If you take the time to ask and listen, things will be solved faster.

4. Let them explore

Stop saying NO so  much. Let them play with dirt, let them get dirty. Let them eat by themselves, even if its a lot messier. Let them help you around the house. Obviously there are things that you absolutely HAVE to say NO to, but I think kids now a days here that word way too much, and the only reason being, mom and dad don't want to clean it up. Having a child means having a lot of messes to clean up everyday, but that's OK, that's how they will learn.

5. Burn that energy

A 2 year old has a A LOT of energy. Go outside with them. Let them run. Do fun activities with them. If they don't burn that energy, they will get very, VERY annoying.

6. Quiet Time

I learned that a 2 year old NEEDS that quiet time. Sometimes I would take my son to his room so that he could take his nap, and sometimes he wouldn't even nap, but that alone quiet time was just as good as a nap. I remember peeking in his room, and he would just be sitting in his crib with his favorite teddy bear, thinking about life. haha

7. Take some time for  yourself

Two year olds, like I mentioned, have a lot of energy. So take some time for yourself. Leave baby with dad, or grandma, or a friend, someone you trust, and take 10, 15, 30 minutes to yourself. Take a long bath, go for a walk, paint your nails, workout, etc. Do whatever you like to do. even if its just for 10 minutes. This will really help you feel refreshed.

8. Enjoy everything

Time flies! They grow too fast. So enjoy the mess, the cuddles, and yes, the tantrums. One day you'll miss it, I know I will.

Xo, Sarah