mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (11/28/83)
I was just informed by a person who is quite experienced at raising babies that my son is now in the "terrible twos". Since he just had his first birthday this month, this was quite a shock. The bad news is, she says he'll stay in this phase until he turns three. Can someone recommend a good book or article about this phase? I'd like to learn as much as possible about it. Also, I'd really like to get some advice on the subject better then "you'll just have to put up with it".
robert@arizona.UUCP (12/03/83)
Don't worry about the terrible twos. You can tell your friend that she's off base, because your son will be quite delightful during that time. It is during this time that they are learning, growing, and changing so much that you will have to expend a little extra time with him, but you may remember these next couple of years as the best. My son is twelve now, and every year I think of the past as the best, but I still miss the extra-special cuddley kid who was two at one time. Think of these as the terrific twos and love him. Robert Drabek University of Arizona
mark@umcp-cs.UUCP (12/04/83)
The terrible 2's are not. Our second is 2.5 right now, and what is
happening during the terrible 2's is that for the first time
your child, who all along has been having opinions and thinking about
the world, finally starts expressing their independent personhood.
My experience (both with my own children and as an occasional day care
worker) is that what makes the 2's terrible is the same thing that makes
the teens terrible. The parents are still seeing a little baby
when there is actually a person emerging. Give your child a little
space to be themselves and the 2's are fine.
I formed this opinion on my own, but later discovered a reference for
it: Dr. Spock!
--
spoken: mark weiser
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!mark
CSNet: mark@umcp-cs
ARPA: mark.umcp-cs@CSNet-Relaybrp@ihuxm.UUCP (B.R. Priest) (12/12/83)
The problem of the terrible twos does not rest only with the parents of the two year old, but also with the two year old. These kids are going through emotional and physical changes that they don't know how to deal with. You can be a patient and understanding parent, but a two year old is going to act two sometimes and it can be awful. Four year olds can be even worse because one expects more from them. Ben Priest -- !ihuxm!brp