9.30.2010

Lynne's lessons in effective parenting, no. 1


Dealing with 3 year olds

The other day I got into a fight with my three year-old.
It started like this -

me: please, clean up all of those Uno cards you just threw all over the room. (long, empty pause while she continues to produce/throw more cards from game cabinet)

me, again: Please, please clean them up, sweetheart. Your sister is trying to eat them.

It ended like this -

me: you are never, ever, ever allowed to go swimming, ever again.

(we just got back from swimming lessons)




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30 comments:

  1. BekOctober 1, 2010 at 12:09 AM

    Ah. Yes. I have a 3 year old girl too. I know exactly where you are coming from!

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  2. SuzyOctober 1, 2010 at 1:02 AM

    Ha! So glad I'm not the only one. I have a 3 year old boy. I was quite smug because the "terrible twos" were not so terrible at all... but it turns out he is just a late bloomer.

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  3. MartaOctober 1, 2010 at 2:29 AM

    Hi, just found out your shop is closed (that's the problem with readers), glad I bought the pattern before, I love it.
    I also "threaten" my 4 yo with swimming but I know now that never again doesn't work, we can't keep it if it's something they (and we) really enjoy, so now I rather say next week you don't...and usually it works.

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  4. UnknownOctober 1, 2010 at 2:29 AM

    Oh dear, I have been in your shoes so many times, as the words come out of my mouth the voice in my head is telling me "don't be ridiculous, you know you cannot follow through" but still the words come out. Parenting is a continual learning curve.

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  5. AnonymousOctober 1, 2010 at 3:38 AM

    I've always had more trouble with 3 year olds than two year olds and that's when the crazy threats come out! The other day I realised that I was giving my 7 year old idle threats and so followed through. It didn't feel any better than when I don't follow through though.

    By the way, I have a stack of uno cards on top of my fridge after a very similar incident at my house.

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  6. AnonymousOctober 1, 2010 at 4:49 AM

    I'm glad I'm not alone! Three is the new two as far as I'm concerned.

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  7. SusannahOctober 1, 2010 at 6:02 AM

    Mine turned 3 this past June...we should all be in a club or something...LOL!

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  8. allydruOctober 1, 2010 at 7:52 AM

    I love you lynne.

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  9. chrisOctober 1, 2010 at 8:23 AM

    I don't care what they say. Three is so much harder than 2.

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  10. icicleOctober 1, 2010 at 9:23 AM

    Four ain't no picnic either... sigh... darn Uno cards. They're all over my house too.

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  11. sew nancyOctober 1, 2010 at 10:02 AM

    this made me laugh
    thanks!
    have a good weekend
    and maybe the older child will vacuum them up in her servant frock before the baby eats them.

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  12. LucyOctober 1, 2010 at 11:26 AM

    You think it goes away by the time they are 4 but no it does not. I think a nice illiteration is "frustrating fours". Funny story, Lynne. Hope those cards got picked up!

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  13. JennyOctober 1, 2010 at 4:21 PM

    I'm not even kidding you, as I read this I am having the exact same conversation with my 3 year old - about Uno cards, little brother and swimming! I wish I had a recoring to prove it!

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  14. StephanieOctober 2, 2010 at 3:22 AM

    Whoever coined the term "terrible two's", never had a 3-year-old (based on my own personal experience!) ha!

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  15. MelissaOctober 2, 2010 at 6:57 PM

    Yup, that sounds about right...

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  16. melissaOctober 4, 2010 at 12:41 AM

    Oh my goodness I cannot stop laughing!!! That sounds just like my parenting!

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  17. melissaOctober 4, 2010 at 12:41 AM

    And by the way, great photograph!

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  18. MaryOctober 4, 2010 at 8:16 AM

    Oh love this. Love that picture too. Aren't 3-year-olds grand? My little boy will turn 4 in December and I can. not. wait. (As if magically he will mature the second the clock strikes midnight on his birthday, but I know it will continue to get better.)

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  19. Sapo VerdeOctober 4, 2010 at 12:46 PM

    Ahhh Uno cards and a 3 yr old. Your house too, huh?

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  20. BethanyOctober 4, 2010 at 5:18 PM

    Oh, that made me smile! Not to put any pressure on you, but what happens at 3, happens bigger at 13! (Which is where we are right now!). It's all good though! I've missed you two!!! xo

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  21. UnknownOctober 5, 2010 at 11:07 AM

    hahaha aww. I cannot count the number of times we've been through this.

    Also, that skirt. What is that skirt? It's gorgeous.

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  22. kari joOctober 5, 2010 at 3:00 PM

    cracking. me. up.
    have totally had scenarios like this with my 4 kids.

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  23. CarissaOctober 6, 2010 at 8:59 AM

    This is the conversation I have with my three-year-old every day...

    Me - Paper only.

    Her - Paper only (as she is drawing on the couch or table with a crayon or marker).

    Me - Time out!

    Her - No time out! Followed by lots of screaming as she is dragged to time out.

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  24. LaurenOctober 7, 2010 at 12:35 PM

    Wouldn't it be great if you never had to take your kids swimming?

    That would be a great threat to follow through on. Getting kids in and out of the pool and showered afterwards is SO MUCH WORK.

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  25. JuliaOctober 7, 2010 at 4:22 PM

    Oh my goodness, you so just captured my day today. Thank You!

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  26. RebeccaOctober 8, 2010 at 2:32 PM

    This is hilarious!

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  27. kimOctober 8, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    I currently have a six year old and an eight year old cleaning up where the three year old helped them spread a jar of raspberry jam all over the floor. I am making them do it with sponges and a bucket of hot water. So far all I hear is giggling. I've clearly got to get harsher with the punishment.

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  28. glaylaOctober 13, 2010 at 7:59 AM

    THANK YOU FOR THIS POST!!! I feel a lot better now :P

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  29. AnonymousOctober 17, 2010 at 12:51 PM

    You somehow made me feel...normal.

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  30. nathaliebeardenOctober 17, 2010 at 4:08 PM

    OMG!! This sounds like my life with a three year old!!!! So real. Glad to be back to blogging more again. HUgs to you!!!! i have a new blog: www.nathaliebearden.com/blog

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