Two Year Olds 

tractor_1

Usually I like to take some time to think up a catchy blog title but anyone with children usually understand what a simple exasperated ‘Two Year Olds’ probably intones and it is usually followed by commiserating looks and murmurs and recollections of the terrible twos.

Finley was 2 in December and having a full blown tantrum has started to become an epic event. All at once funny, embarrassing and infuriating. Cohen wasn’t really a tantrum thrower, he was far more relaxed and had a limited vocabulary at this age, so in hindsight I see how spoilt I was the first time around.

Finley is making up for that in bucket loads.

So, yesterday I decided to stop at the beach on the way to pick up Cohen from kindergarten. Some lovely sea air and a walk was a nice easy way to tire out my youngest child who had already refused his nap. Our local beach is two minutes down the road from us and there are three car parking areas – a middle car park by the surf club and a car park at either end of the beach by the boatsheds on each side. Since it was on my way I decided to stop in the middle car park and give him the run around towards our boatshed at the other end. The whole time he made a beeline for that boatshed and our tractor (as pictured above) because honestly, what little boy doesn’t want to play on a tractor all day? After some convincing and going up and down a set of stairs 3 4 times we went back to the car and drove to collect Cohen. This is where it started to get interesting.

‘Do you want to go to the beach boys or go home?’

Chorus from the backseat ‘BEACH!’

Ok then, they both agree. Brilliant. Challenge #1: Getting them to agree to said destination/activity complete.

Since Finn had spent the entire time at the beach wanting to go to the boatshed I decided to just go straight there and park on the beach right outside. Makes sense right? Of course it does! Why walk 15 minutes to the boatshed when you can park right in front of it? So I pull up.

Tears. Instant. ‘No want this beach! Other beach! No want this one!’

‘Finley, this is the same beach. You wanted to go to the boatshed’

‘No want it!! No! Other park mummy! No want this one! No want this beach!’

‘Finley, don’t be silly. We are at the beach. You love the beach! Look, the tractor!’

I drag him out of the carseat kicking and screaming (seriously, kicking and screaming). What two year old doesn’t like the beach?!

Plonk. Face down in the sand. Muffled sobs and ‘No want this beach!’ omit from child. Get out second child who is happy as larry to be at the beach and wants to get running to play on the rocks further down. I decide to take the ‘leave them and hope they follow’ approach. Get about 10 metres down the beach. Child has not followed and is wailing louder. Turn and go back.

Now, this is the time to note that there were other people in these boatsheds watching with great amusement. They know my husband so I am pretty sure this will get around and become a great joke. One of the guys actually came down and offered me some chocolate bars for the boys, trying to help (bless him) and commented that F was a feisty one. Yep. So I was very conscious of the fact that we were actually the main show brightening up their quiet afternoon.

After 10 minutes of this I decided, right, that’s it! He wanted to go home and so while going home is usually the punishment, at this point it was giving in. Two can play this game. So I hefted him up under my arm like a football and carried him down the beach. By this point, people were making no attempt to hide their entertainment and were openly standing at the doors of their boatsheds watching the show with big grins on their faces. I kid you not. So I carry him down the beach still crying and say ‘I know Finn! Why don’t you jump in this puddle! You love puddles!’ and put him down.

PLONK. Face down in puddle. ‘No want puddle! No want it!!’

So now I have a soaking wet sand covered child screaming instead of just a screaming child. Great. He then gets up and stalks back to the car where he then lies flat on the sand like a plank, face down in silent protest.

At this point with echoes of laughter (not mine) I decide that it is time to go home. Fighting with a stubborn two year old for 30 minutes in front of an audience is not my cup of tea and in the end his ability to remain stubborn bet out my ability to fight him. And I was by then in desperate need of a coffee. A strong one.

And all because I parked in the wrong place.

Two year olds!

What irrational moments has your child had lately or what is one that stands out as memorable?

Linking up with EssentiallyJess and doing IBOT for the first time. Thanks for popping by!

16 thoughts on “Two Year Olds 

  1. Hi Haidee, lovely to discover your blog via #IBOT today. Really enjoyed this post as I have friends with children of a similar age and I’ve witnessed lots of similar behaviours and yes – we’ve enjoyed LOTS of coffees afterwards too. Hope you managed to get that strong (well deserved) cuppa too!

    1. Thank you for your comment! I did manage to get a coffee … after I had bathed them as he had sand in all sorts of places that sand shouldn’t be. The joy of motherhood!

  2. Hi Haidee, nice to meet you (through #IBOT). Your afternoon sounds very familiar… I have a 3.5 year old and a 20 month old and both are very well practiced tantrum-ers!! Is that a word? It is today 😉 I find at times like that all I can do is join in the crowd and start laughing. It’s either that or cry!

  3. Touch wood… My 2 year old has been relatively drama free so far. The worst habit right now is jumping on my shoulders at night no matter how many times I say no or threaten bed or throwing her toys out lol but she’s not too bad. No tantrums so much… Just sulks. But they really are a unique little group of people. At least you can say you can’t get bored, right? 😉

  4. Oh my I remember these days (and tantrums) well. Miss 18 was the Queen of Tantrums … and forget 2 y.o tantrums … she started early and well, let’s just say, ended rather late! Like you, my first child was a breeze in hindsight and I really had my work cut out for me with #2. ON the upside – they’ve both turned into delightful young adults but oh, I feel your pain!

    Visiting today from #teamIBOT x

    1. Haha, started early and ended rather late. I fear my youngest son is following in her footsteps! Glad to hear they turned out alright in the end 😉 Thanks for popping by!

  5. Hi from ICLW! On Saturday, I was putting my 2.5 year old nephew to bed and we were going through the ritual of brushing his teeth. Well, apparently he has two toothbrushes, and I selected the WRONG ONE. Meltdown central. Then I couldn’t even find the other toothbrush that he claimed was the right one so he went to bed without brushing his teeth. Earlier that day, he had gotten a big juicy apple from the store because he had been a good boy while shopping. He arrived at my house clutching it like a trophy. An hour or so later he asked for apple slices, so I took his big apple and cut it up. Well…apparently that was not at all what he meant and I broke his little heart by murdering his friend. He was devastated and cried and cried for almost an hour. Nothing I did pacified him. Eventually, I gave up and just let him cry until he fell asleep. Oi.

    My sister always says it’s a good thing toddlers are cute because otherwise no one would put up with this!! He’s definitely entering the “Threenager” phase – when he’s charming, he is SO charming…and when he’s not, he’s NOT. Lol.

    1. Oh, the apple thing made me laugh out loud! Your nephew sounds like quite the character, and yes, boys do have a tendency to be charming until they’re not. Hehe.

    1. I guess that is true, I was laughing too because really, what else is there to do in that situation?! A strong willed child he is turning out to be, I am completely out of my depth with him and expect there to be many many more episodes of this to come. I loved being part of #IBOT, expect to see me around again and thanks for hosting it, fabulous idea 🙂

  6. This post made me smile and roll my eyes in agreement. And I hate to be the “oh you just wait” person, but three… oh my goodness three years old… is way worse than I ever imagined it would be at two 😉

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