It’s Funny at 2 – Not So Much at 13!

Imogen is my 2 year old granddaughter, and like most 2 year olds is incredibly funny, sweet and intelligent, obviously! (yes, I am the doting Grandma).

Unfortunately she’s also hit the terrible twos.  Now, here’s the thing, she doesn’t really ‘do’ tantrums – and, funnily enough, neither did her mum, or her 3 uncles.
Probably because it’s not something we would ever put up with.  My kids knew if we said No – we meant No and very rarely changed our minds and they knew we had good reasons for saying No.
I think this stems from my childhood when my Dad just said No – whatever we asked for, the answer was always No – he could be very unfair, and I determined I would never do this to my children – and it did pay off.

Imogen simply knows she is right – about everything!
It’s not a large manta ray on Finding Nemo – it’s a big whale.
It’s not grandad’s door, it’s grandma’s!
No, she doesn’t like sausages, although she did last time!
It’s OK that she’s just wee’d all over the floor, because ‘I’m sorry, Grandma’, and ‘It won’t happen again, Grandma”. (although it invariably does – a post for later – we’re not getting hung up on it).
This can be very, very funny and the temptation is to a) wind her up and continue arguing, until she does have a tantrum or b) agree with her for a simple life.
I do neither, I explain why she’s wrong end the conversation and change the subject.

If parents could only project themselves and their children 10 years hence and imagine a similar conversation with a 12 or 13 year old – who will also be trying to push the boundaries. They’d soon realise that what’s funny at 2 and 3, can be quite horrendous when teenage hormones are involved!!
If you can’t control a 2 year old and find it easier to give in or try to placate them with bribery – you have no chance with a bolshy, stroppy 13 year old – who can, and will defy you, sometimes with devastating and long lasting repercussions.

It is funny at 2 – mmm, not so much at 13.