Re: Define the "Terrible Twos" for me?

"in2minds" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> "What do the "terrible twos" look like?"
> [..]
> 
> I discussed this with my wife (who's a childminder) a couple of weeks
> ago and we came to the conclusion there is no such thing as "terrible
> twos", it's just an excuse for poor parenting.

I disagree, not that poor parenting has consequences and can result in
brattiness, but that brattiness in a 2 YO is the result of poor
parenting. My middle child was a bit of a nightmare at 2, and I did
hold the line with her. I remember carrying her, kicking and
screaming, out of a mall once. I had never experienced such a thing
with my eldest, who was by no means an angel. He was just more
"rational," and still is. My middle, however, had/has a will of steel
and at that age she hadn't yet learned that it did no good to shriek
and tell me we weren't friends anymore. I was excruciatingly
consistent, because I had to be, not because I wanted to be, and she
has actually developed into a really nice, reasonably cooperative 5
YO! She has learned to pick her battles with me and her dad. But it
didn't happen overnight, or even over a few weeks or months -- more
like a couple of years!