I thought I was prepared for the terrible threes, after all I have been through it once already, albeit it was several years ago. I definitely don't remember it being this difficult. Jack's favorite word is "NO!" and he uses it constantly! He has also recently learned the phrase "Leave me alone!" which he screams at the top of his little voice and sometimes even swats us. I'm not sure why he is having such a hard time right now but I know that I am about at my wits end. Everything is so dramatic with him lately. I feel like I am constantly disciplining him. I have read all of the parenting advice books and I'm not sure what else to try. We ask him nicely to stop whatever it is he is doing: kicking the dog, whining (all the time) or screaming NO etc. The conversation is always like this, Mommy: "Jack please share with Nolan" Jack: "Why Not?" M: "because it's nice to share" J: voice getting 8 decibels higher and louder, " Why Not?" M: " Jack, Nolan cries when you take things away from him, it makes him sad so please share and be nice." J: " NO!!!" M: " O.K then if you can't be nice you can go sit in your room until you decide you can share/ stop yelling/ eat your dinner/ stop banging your toy on the window etc." Major ear piercing tantrum follows. I feel like I am failing some sort of test. I dread going anywhere for fear of the disapproving glances. I even got yelled at by some old grumpy man at Walmart recently. Any advice out there?
