Thursday 18 January 2018

Terrible Twos, Threes... and Fours?



So it's been a while...

Like a lot of things I've tried to do over the last few years, they have tended to take a back seat thanks to the demands of two young lads who are now just a couple of months away from their 3rd and 4th birthdays respectively.

'Being a Dad' is still one of the greatest things in the world, but it doesn't half have it's moments.

I'll probably try and get through a few of them on here as time goes on, for now though I'll just talk about the 'terrible twos' and '...threes' - I'm not sure what the label is for threes after the terrible twos but you may as well keep it as terrible for that age too!



It does seem to be the rebellious age where the likes of my Alfie, now just three months away from his 4th birthday (what on earth is the label for the fours then?), and he has certainly developed the naughty boy side of his personality, whilst thankfully still maintaining enough of the good boy traits too to keep you sane.

Stubborn refusal to do what to us is the simplest of things and mainly to stay away from potential 'accident in the home' situations, oh it drives you mad!

"Out of the kitchen", "Get down those stairs", and "Leave your brother alone" tend to be the main ones.

Just when you think you have it mastered and they know who is boss they then defy you again and soon get up to no good. Is this just happening in my house or do other parents have this too??

Now all of the above I've got used to and deal with, but the one thing that drives me mad is the fact that every morning it seems without fail is the waking up process at the crack of dawn.

The 'Alfie Alarm clock' seems to go off at 6am or earlier every day. "daddy, daddy, daddy"...repeat about 20 times...I find myself making some noise that's supposed to be a 'yes Alfie?' reply, and what comes back? 'daddy, I've had a poo!' oh great. So being woken up well before I wanted to wake up now there is the added grim reality that this day is going to start with a pile of shit to clean up!

There is a thought though in the back of my head that I'll be able to get my own back in a few years (not to shout that I've had a poo to them although that could well follow in later life!) when they won't want to get up, but for now I just want that extra half hour lie in!! I cannot wait for my boys to be able to just get up, tootle off downstairs and watch their TV programmes whilst I continue to sleep. Will it ever happen?

The other main one at the moment is Alfie being at the "Why?" stage. Everything I say is responded to with a "Why?" by Alfie. Can someone tell me how long this goes on for, I can't take any more of that word!! I know it's all a learning process but even things like saying 'the sky is blue' are met with a "Why?" or "It's 4 o clock"..."Why?" says Alfie!! Err...because it is!

Like butter wouldn't melt.


We're also going through the silly face and "no" stage too with both Alfie and Harry. Oh yes little brother Harry is certainly learning that one quickly for sure!!

So is it just us or does every parent know where I am coming from with all of the above, and what words of advice or wisdom can you pass on to get through this annoying time???

By the way, I do think the world of my kids...honest!