Terrific Twos

The saying “terrible twos” is one I straight up dislike (and I am not someone who dislikes many things so that should tell you how strongly I feel about this silly saying).

Putting a label on a toddler and an entire year out of their life isn’t fair.

Toddlers are beautiful beings filled with curiosity, wonder, self exploration, and love.

We adults hold expectations in our minds of how a two year old should act and behave. We get upset when a TWO year old isn’t behaving according to our expectations.

Think of how much you have grown in the last year.

Think of how much you have learned in the last six months. Think of how much has changed in the last week in your life.

We cannot expect these little, growing, learning, beings to be where we are mentally as they are still new and fresh.

We don’t look at a new born baby and think “they should know how to care for themselves by now.”

We look at a newborn and see how much they depend on us, how much they need us to thrive and survive.

Our toddlers need us just as a newborn needs us.

Our toddlers need our patience, our understanding, our compassion, our LOVE.

When our toddler is having a hard time, or is at their “worst”, they need us at their best.

So instead of labeling it the "terrible twos”, our family calls it the "terrific twos”. When our son, and daughter, grows we will call it the: "thriving threes", "fabulous fours", "fantastic fives", "spectacular sixes" and so on. People, of all ages, fit into labels you put on them. Let's do ourselves, and our growing children, a favor and give them ALL of the positive descriptions that they can blossom in. Let's lead by example - with our words and our actions. Let's show our kiddos the greatness and beauty that can come from a year of learning.

This year has so much potential and growth within it - for your toddler, for your family, and for yourself.

TANCKS for reading.