- She wanted the purple cup.
- She wanted the other purple cup.
- No, the OTHER purple cup.
 |
| Just some of our purple cups. TOO MANY PURPLE CUPS. |
- Her favourite dress is in the wash.
- She doesn’t want to go to the zoo.
- She doesn’t want to leave the zoo.
- You laughed at something she said.
- You didn’t laugh at something she said.
- You sat on her imaginary friend.
- You laughed when she told you that you sat on her imaginary friend.
- You got a small trolley at the supermarket instead of a big one.
- You got a big trolley instead of a small one.
- She wanted to close the blinds.
- She wanted to open the blinds.
- She wanted to wake up her brother.
- You gave a silly answer to a serious question.
- You gave a serious answer to a silly question.
- You didn’t answer her question the fifth time she asked it (after answering the first four times).
- Nor the sixth.
- Any reason at all.
- No reason whatsoever.
- She’s four years old.
They seem ridiculous. They seem trivial.
But they seem trivial to us. We have more on our minds. More to worry about.
My daughter is four years old. She’s not as emotionally mature as me. (I am emotionally mature. Am too. AM TOO. Shut up.)
In her four-year-old world, these things ARE big deals. These are the few things in life she has some degree of control over.
My daughter is four years old. She’s not as emotionally mature as me. (I am emotionally mature. Am too. AM TOO. Shut up.)
In her four-year-old world, these things ARE big deals. These are the few things in life she has some degree of control over.
She spends most of her time being told what to do. How to do it. When to do it. So when she feels like she’s lost control of something she normally controls, she’s not happy about it.
Understandably.
When toddler meltdowns happen, I must BREATHE. Slowly. In, out, inhale, exhale.
And remember all the reasons she likes me.
And remember that I get grumpy too. Sometimes for seemingly no reason.
It’s all about perspective.
Is there a toddler in your house? What are some of the reasons they get upset with you?
It’s all about perspective.
Is there a toddler in your house? What are some of the reasons they get upset with you?
Love this post! You had me laughing at every dot point! I’m glad to be past the toddler tantrum/meltdown phase though. Now I am in the ‘7 year old who knows everything already’ phase. Just as trying at times. I hear things like, “Mum, you are so bossy. You are ALWAYS telling me what to do, ALL the time” (after being told it was time to have a shower). Lucky they have more lovely moments than horrid moments!
I’m going to have to watch myself in that phase. Just let them be right, just let them be right…
Oh yes I know all this well since I have a nearly 4 year old. They’re very “opinionated” aren’t they??? It’s good to be reminded to have perspective. It’s true their entire world is the hands of someone else and they just want to have some say.
Very, very opinionated. I keep reminding myself it’s good that she’s upset about the trivial things. It means that, for now, she’s shielded from the bigger things.
It certainly helps to remember they have VERY different priorities! My 23 month old was babbling away and the “up and down” she wanted today- I had NO clue what she was on about. Luckily, she was able to go to her brother’s room and filch the santa snow-globe she was referring to to show me!
At least she was able to show you! It’s so frustrating when they can’t show you or get too worked up to find different words.
Love this post. I expected more humour from you and came here for a giggle, but instead I leave with much to think about. Thank you xS
Thanks Sarah. Touched on both fronts.
Ha ha, yep! This is my four year old son at the moment. I can’t win!!
Me neither! Must stop trying.
I have a 4 year old too. Enough said. 🙂
I hear you loud and clear!
I have to say that I can be very much like a 4yo at times, VERY DEMANDING!
And I can’t wait to meet you soon too Em xx
Cue excited happy dancing and jumping!
This made me laugh out loud Em. Any reason at all. No reason whatsoever. EVERY REASON UNDER THE SUN! No toddler here, just a sensitive 6 year old boy who doesn’t like it when you laugh at him, but he laughs at you all the time.
Ooh, that’s tricky. And yes to every reason under the sun!
Ha, ha, my four year old gets very contrary and frustrated too – somehow I think this toddler stuff should be behind him, but then I think I should cut him some slack in being a little boy because they grow up too quick.
My girl’s always been quite well-spoken, so I have to constantly remind myself that she’s only four and not expect too much. (I often forget. The teenage years are going to be particularly fun, methinks.)
When you think about it, there’s not that much difference between Miss Four and most of the adults we deal with day to day. It might not be about the purple cup, but my gosh people are just as stubborn about ridiculous things!! x
BIG FAT YES to this. YES.
I get the ‘mummy, you made me cry!!’ When she’s been told off. Sometimes it’s exhausting because I want to say ‘well don’t do things that make me tell you off!’ But yes she’s 4 and these things happen and I need to be more tolerant and not get upset.
And can you ever have too ,any purple cups?
Oh yes, when you discipline them for hurting someone’s feelings or making someone cry and then they tell you that your discipline is doing that to them. HEAD. PAIN.
And YES. Yes you can.