Have you one on the way??

• They look the same child but inside there is whirlwind of emotions happening inside. They have found their voice and they are not afraid to use it, be prepared for shouting screaming and hysteria over any small thing. It might be that they don’t want to wear a particular top or have their hair put a certain way and they will let you know.
• Opinions are the key word. They are not going to accept your word anymore. Everything will be questioned, analyzed, thought about, argued about, in fact give up now, you wont win!!
• Bye bye patience! You probably remember back when your little darling would wait for something not anymore! If they want it, they want it NOW. No matter what it is, a missing toy, the tv channel changed, the threenager cannot wait, it’s a matter of life or death, and you better assist them right now!! Everything is a huge drama and one can only try to adapt to this for awhile it’s their battle for authority!
• Tantrums – the terrible two tantrums were simply a warm up. The threenager tantrum possess the rage and frustration of a teenager ready to explode, the difference? Your threenager will explode hell on earth with a bang! They don’t care if the President of Ireland is watching them they will scream shout and not much will calm them. It’s a waiting game until they tire. The threenager tantrum is scary because remember they have the vocabulary now to assist them in their rage, so watch out for the ahem bad language, now is the time to stop using any dodgy words yourself because you can be sure in public your little poppet will use it!
• Leaving the house becomes a slow train process. You thought it was tough when they were babies, between baby bags and sorting bottles. Well now it can take up to an hour to simple get clothes on, toilet, wash face, brush teeth. They like to take their time, remember your threenager is completely egocentric, just like the teenager, everything is about them. The threenager will get ready but at their own pace accompanied by you hurrying them along and pulling their hair into a respectable state. And remember you will be ready to head out the door when they will finally decide that yes they need to go pee after all!!
• Linked in with the getting ready process is the big “I can do it myself” or classic “let me let meeeeeee” This is the new found sense of independence that they have discovered. And you do have to allow them; after all we can’t baby them forever just to make our lives easier. So let them try to put on their socks or put on their coat. It saves further tantrums and you will be proud when they do succeed.
• Fussy eaters – Just like your sulky teenager twirling food around their plate, your threenager will mess with their food too. They will still eat their favourites but anything that you used to struggle to feed them, will be banished from their mouth completely. Anything that they aren’t fond of will be met with a big frown and yuk sounds and I am not hungry. Meal times will test your patience big time, but no kid has ever starved and this phase will pass too!
• They say what’s on their mind – to anyone. Yes this one can be embarrassing because let’s face it just because they man in the coffee shop has no hair doesn’t mean he wants to hear your threenager ask you why he’s got no hair!! The threenager tells it as it is. If they don’t like someone they tell them, if granda has missing teeth they point that out, if someone has a pink hair they loudly ask why. If daddy is getting a slight beer belly they poke it and tell him. The threenager has no filter, ask them what they are thinking about and they will tell you, no holding back! Much like a teenager in an arguing match they let it all flow out of their mouth.