Regardless of whether you still have a newborn at home, the baby is just starting to crawl or is already babbling its first words, the here and now is the biggest challenge for parents. Every phase of your child's development always seems to be the most strenuous. All the phases that had already been 'overcome' weren't actually that bad in retrospect. At least almost all of them!
Because one development phase tops them all! When the sweet, little, googly-eyed children are three years old, the tone at home changes and a little dictator comes out of the children's room one morning.
Also read:
That's why 3 year olds are evil
Suddenly parents, siblings, grandparents, yes, actually the whole world, can no longer do anything right. The drinking cup is the wrong color, the breakfast bread was cut incorrectly or mom and dad don't want the child to poke around with a fork at the socket - every 'little thing' upsets a three-year-old child.
You can read about what else three-year-olds do to bring their parents to the brink of madness and how they can still survive this development phase in a mentally healthy way.
1. Your will be done
While at the beginning children simply cry when their parents say 'no' or they can't get their way, by the time they are three years old they are a force of nature - from the underworld. Because they throw themselves on the ground, scream at the top of their lungs and have the endurance of a marathon runner. As a parent, you can ask yourself whether you can get an exorcist to exorcise devils at short notice.
2. Without period or comma
It's been a long time since the children started speaking. Once they've really got the hang of it by the age of three, there's no stopping them. Day in and day out they chew off one ear and then the other one too.
3. No diaper, no planning
Going diaper-free is a huge step for children. By the time they're around three years old, they've learned to let them know when they need to. However, ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY. A one-hour drive can easily turn into an extended day trip. You've barely strapped your child in and gotten behind the wheel when it's screaming from behind. Positive side effect: This means you find out that there is also a customer toilet in the discounter, the drugstore or the pet food store.
Also read:
4. This doesn't taste good!
Gone are the days when you serve the child food and they just fill it all up. At three years old, anything that looks remotely healthy is an attempt on her life. Even in the pureed soup you will find an ingredient that will really spoil your meal.
Also read:
5. I won't wear that!
Gone are the days when you could dress them in something cute and they looked like cute little H&M catalog children. At the age of three, they dress themselves, true to the motto: There is nothing too colorful!
Reading recommendation:
6. They bathe in dirt
Dirty hands are a reason to cry, at least for children as young as two. At three, children seem to be bathing in it. The shoes always contain more sand than the sandbox, the hands are pitch black and the clothes can be put in the washing machine in the evening.
7. They have you in their hands
Children as young as three are real puppet masters. They know the buttons and levers they have to push to either get something or to drive their parents to the brink of madness. And then they get what they want.
8. It's always other people who are tired
Sleep is the maximum punishment for three-year-olds. You wake up before you actually get up in the morning, have to finish playing something after lunch and are never tired in the evening anyway. And they actually like their resemblance to a panda.
Also read:
9. I'll do it alone!
Three-year-olds are convinced that they can do EVERYTHING on their own. And they become really vicious if you even dare to offer them help. If you as a parent don't lose your patience (because everything takes forever), after the third failed attempt the children will and that brings us back to point 1.
Lies here:
Tips for dealing with three-year-olds
Dear parents of a three-year-old! I promise you: This phase will also pass sooner or later. This is the mantra that you should repeat to yourself from this day forward.
And as hard as it is for you to stay calm when the child complains like a sparrow again, that's the only thing that keeps you sane. There is no point in arguing with a three-year-old, no matter how legitimate your arguments may be. Once a child has complained in a rage, he or she won't hear what you say.
You should also be lovingly consistent. Don't get involved in discussions about breakfast cup colors, breakfast bread shapes or similar. Instead, create situations that you 'control'. Let your child make a limited choice, whether it's cup colors, bread toppings or kindergarten path.
Also read:
If you notice that despite all your efforts, anger is rising within you and you are about to explode, leave the room. Briefly tell your child that you need a few seconds to yourself and go into another room. Breathe in as deeply as you can and hold your breath for a few seconds. Then let it escape slowly, as forcefully as possible. If you feel calmer again after one or two repetitions, go back to your child. If that isn't enough to relax you, repeat the exercise.
This way you are a good role model for your child. Maybe you could even do these breathing exercises with him and demonstrate how to calm down when feelings threaten to overwhelm you.
Other family topics:
