I previously posted a video of Sidekick feeding Dog handful by handful which was so sweet. He normally carries her bowl to the laundry room for me to put food in it and then he carries it back to her food stand and places it in there. Yesterday, while walking with the food bowl, he stopped in his tracks and literally poured all of the food out of the bowl! Poor Dog just started eating off the floor while I firmly told Sidekick that we don't do that. He laughed.
I then removed him from the scene of the crime and took him to his bedroom. While I was sitting on the floor and he was standing looking at me (or rather, avoiding eye contact with me), I looked at him and told him that pouring the food out of the bowl made a big mess and he replied "Mess". The kid doesn't like messes so I thought I would be able to knock some sense into him, but then he smiled at started laughing! I put my head down so he wouldn't see me laugh because let's face it it was funny that I was trying to be firm, and he was just laughing at me. When I composed myself and continued with my "lesson", he reached down, touched my feet, and said "Tickle, tickle, tickle." I was obviously not making a strong enough point which made me crazy! My kid doesn't take me seriously! Really???
Is this what it's going to be like for a while? We are four months shy of the terrible twos, but we are definitely knee deep in them. He challenges me, ignores me, fights me, and laughs at me. My sweet little boy is forming opinions of his own and showing his incredible independence and stubbornness. It is during these times that I wish I wasn't a SMC so that I could at least turn him over to someone so I can regroup from my frustration with him. But then when he wraps his arms around me I melt.
(Unfortunately, I've heard being the threes are not much better.)
We had some of our first discipline problems over feeding the dog also. That's Annelise's job, too. And after doing it great for several months she suddenly started refusing and a couple of times dumped it on the floor. It's a challenging time as they try to push the limits and see whats acceptable and what isn't.
ReplyDeleteHitting the "terrible twos" about six months early here too. And while sometimes is aggravating to no end, sometimes, it is also hard not to bust out laughing. Thankfully my kids don't have the words to go with their attitudes (although when they laugh after being "naughty" that's almost as bad).
ReplyDeleteI've heard that between 20-22 months is a rough patch with behavior for many kids. Most likely it is because they have been learning more independence and are seeing just how much we will allow. There has been some naughty behavior in my house too, and I can even tell that my son acknowledges that it is naughty but does it anyway! Many people have also told me that they didn't think the twos were that bad, but watch out for the threes!
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to discipline when you want to laugh!
ReplyDeleteSo far I don't think it's constant challenging and fighting, we seem to go through spurts and spells. I'm gradually finding things that work, though...and hoping that the 3s aren't worse! :)