Ack!!! 2 year old girl child!

**dz_blonde_girl** · 03-11-2004, 12:38 PM

This dd of mine has me at the end of my rope!

She's mean and she's bossy. She, argh, I'm so frustrated with her, hits and pushes her little brother. He's got a black eye from being smacked with a sippy cup! She's just really mean to him and now she's starting to back talk me and dh! I've tried gently correcting her and time outs. Duct tape comes to mind, but I'm pretty sure that's illegal. I know a couple of you have dds the same age. What should I do with thes girl?

**BlessedMommy** · 03-11-2004, 12:51 PM

My parents always told us we were to call them before we put the FOR SALE sign on our kids and stuck them in the front yard!
Oh, I remember dd being so challenging at that age! My advice it to remain consistant and to find a "currency" that means something to her, meaning find something of hers that she values, and she loses it when she doesn't follow the acceptable behavior guidelines (might be a favorite toy, video, book or privilege that gets taken away for a day or two).

**guest2** · 03-11-2004, 01:03 PM

I know that not everyone agrees with spanking...but it worked with my kids.

**voodidit** · 03-11-2004, 01:53 PM

Sounds a little like her mother to me..lol. All I can say is good luck, my dd was in that stage for 17 years!

**BlessedMommy** · 03-11-2004, 01:55 PM

Actually, spanking (very rarely and not done when angry) has worked well for us, too. We didn't do it often, but when we did, it made an impact on their behavior. When dks "earned" a spanking, they really knew that they had crossed a line and the same behavior was rarely ever repeated.

**CatherineID** · 03-11-2004, 03:14 PM

I have a 2.5-yr old. I admit even at her worst - so far - she's still a good kid. Time outs help. They aren't punishment but it gives me time to think about what I want to do about a situation. I do send her to her room. Consequences and choices help, too. For instance, she was purposely spilling her juice box so she wasn't allowed to have any for the rest of the day. Choices would be something like does she want to play with her puzzles or go to her room to read? It gives me a break from her demands when I have to get something done.

When my little one does something very serious, I sit her down and make me look me in the eyes while we talk.

Age 2 and 3 are hard because the child is influenced with growth hormone. It disrupts their sleep patterns and makes them cranky. Make sure she gets lots of sleep and make her take an afternoon "rest time" even if she doesn't lay down to sleep.

Take a break yourself as often as you can. Look into joining a mom's club (MOMS Club or MOPS) so you can find a playgroup and maybe a babysitting co-op. Having children under the age of 5-yrs old is stressful.