Virginia found that the trick to getting through the "terrible twos" was all about attitude.
Virginia's Story
"The terrible twos are not a myth."
The terrible twos are a complete reality, and they are hectic. As kids get older and start to walk and talk, they also learn to start running and grabbing for things and back-talking. Since my daughter started walking everything has been moved out of her reach. She's broken my laptop and my cell phone. Everything has to be really cinched up and baby-proofed and out of her grasp.
"She had a screwdriver in her hand... and she was hitting the TV screen with it."
Where you once were in control, you are completely out of control when they hit the two-year-mark. When Mika was eight months old and I needed to walk out of the room for a minute, I could set her down on the floor and walk out of the room. Two days ago, I turned around and she had a screwdriver in her hand - and she was hitting the TV screen with it. But it's not like she turns 18 months, and all of a sudden, she's just this complete out-of-control monkey you can't deal with. It's more gradual than that, so it can be dealt with.
1. Don't overreact.
I try not to squash her behavior too much. I know that it's part of development, that she's establishing her independence and figuring things out on her own. I keep telling myself that it's a natural phase, and I let her do what she wants to do, to a certain extent. If she wants to sit and bang on a pot, that's fine. I can't get hung up on that.
2. Think outside the "blocks."
We had had all these wooden blocks for her from when she was a baby, and as she got older, she started to enjoy throwing the blocks, which is painful. Then I found foam blocks at the store, and it was like somebody had turned on the light. Those things are the best. She can throw them all she wants, and they don't hurt and break things. Finding substitutions that work with where she's at now has been a lifesaver.
3. Keep your eyes open every day.
You can read about the terrible twos in a book, but it's not the same as going through it and living it. As a mother, as you go through it, you realize that it's a learning experience every day. They are completely unpredictable, and no matter how much you prepare, they'll find a way to outsmart you. By just being there and experiencing it, you'll figure out the answers.
"It's certainly not terrible. It's just different."
I waited a while to be a Mom, so I was 34 when I had my daughter. I didn't know that I was ready. I was apprehensive and nervous, the same thing that every mother is. But I was older, so I'd had more time to think about it. Now I can't imagine myself without her, even though we're going through this phase right now. I look at her, and I think, "What an awesome thing it is to be a parent." It's just amazing. It's different every day.
