Chip will be three in December and in preparation he has decided to try out being, well, kind of a jerk. I’m not saying he is a jerk, I’m just noting that this is a persona he’s trying on.
At random moments throughout the day he will stomp up to me and announce in his growliest voice and accompanied by his frowniest eyebrows that “I AM SO MAD AT YOU, MOMMY!!”
It isn’t getting quite the reaction he anticipated, though, because I just crack up laughing. I should probably work on that…
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I’m all too familiar with that almost three year old attitude. Once the novelty wears off, laughing is not the first reaction that comes to me sadly! I keep chanting ‘this too shall pass, this too shall pass’.
I’m watching my friend’s almost 3 year old twins today also – so fights and tale telling abound! How do I deal with it – blogging, of course!
How do you keep a straight face when those words come out of that chubby little face?
We have a saying in our house that we probably shouldn’t use. “He’s such a third child.” Adults laugh knowingly. Third works on getting the angry eyebrows to look just right.
I keep saying “I love you anyway, honey”.
It’ll help during the teen years.
I had forgotten how cute 3 was. Thanks for the memory. And then I’m reminded of 4. Thanks. Then there’s 5, 6, 7…well 8′s been pretty good so far. And that’s just the boy. The girl, well she’s been in the “3′s” for 2 years now. Yeah. Thanks.
At 7, PunditGirl is ‘trying on the bitchy teen’ phase. The other day, I asked her to bring me something from the other room, and she proclaimed with indignance worthy of a 15-yea-old, “YOU can just go get it yourself!” (Needless to say, there were consequences!)
Heaven help us!
I have a three year old who thinks he’s 13! Major attitude throwing lately–we’ve nixed the High School Musical watching…it’s age-appropriate programming only until he starts acting like my sweetiepie again! I make the mistake of laughing too–then when Daddy gets on to him for the same thing, he says, “well, MOMMY thinks I’m FUNNY!”
I, too, have been shocked by the ‘tude coming from my kid. Months before she turned four, oh, the ugliness coming from her mouth! I was and am still stunned. Would mouth/soap washing be inappropriate??
My 4 year old has got the ‘tude. He likes to say sweet things such as, “well, I don’t want to be part of this family, anymore.” and “I am not going to be your best friend.” in response to my mean, horrible decisions like, no, you can’t have a real mohawk and no, you can’t get your ears pierced until you are in 3rd grade. Life with a teenager, I mean, a 4 year old…
I get a lot of ‘You are NOT my best friend mommy!’
I ask why and get the hmpph’s and folded arms….ooookay
I started to get the tic just reading this. The ‘tude… Something we’ve been dealing with now for the last 6 months. Ever since RP turned 3. Apparently I am such a bad mother that I constantly make her mad/sad/angry even “pissed off” from time to time. Yeah, I laugh at her when she pulls out the last one.
Wanna hand me my parenting award now?
Hmm. I remember wanting to laugh. Vaguely. Unfortunatly it might go on for another ten years, then you’ll want to strangle them. The only good thing is at this age they leave for long periods of time to go ‘share the love’ with their teachers.
Wait til you get the “crossed arms and stomping” stance. Yeah, we’re there at the moment. It’s gotten to the point where its no longer funny. I hope you don’t get there.
Ah, so familiar. Maia does this weird facial contortion to show you how incredibly annoyed she is, and I keep begging her not to make that face, because, God, she looks like a Gargoyle. She also is trying on airs, especially when she is relating a story about her “kids” (you’ll be alarmed to hear she has several already!). I can’t decide if she is 3 or 13. Wow. 3-4 is a trip!
My 7 year old nephew’s newest one is “I don’t fit in this family.” I have no idea where he got it. My sister says he has been saying it for a couple of weeks I just heard it yesterday. I told him he fit with me. He got a little grin, but still maintained that mad face.
I always tell my daughter (12) that even if she is mad at me, I still love her. She always comes to me and apologizes and follows it up with, “but I am still mad.”
my 3 1/2 year old son recently told me that he doesn’t even live at my house anymore. he decided he lives next door with the puppies he adores, and their “mom”. I’m not even “allowed” to come over there with him (I do anyway…I like the puppies, too!)
At least it is still funny – soon enough it won’t be. Enjoy it while it lasts.
My 4 year old does the same thing… It’s quite bizzare but I think it’s part of learning about emotions.
Don’t worry….he’ll be over that stage soon enough and on to a new one. Very cute though. :)
My daughter didn’t become a jerk until she turned three. I had already been tricked into thinking she would always be so sweet, so I went ahead and got pregnant with my second. Fooled again!
You sound like one wise mama… laughter (esp when directed as misbehaving kids) is a lovely lovely lesson to teach the little buggers.
The same thing happens here ALL the time. If I got enough sleep, that is, she’s hilarious. Otherwise, she’s just mouthing off. It always goes so much better when I laugh.
all along i was scared of the terrible twos and my dr. would say, 3 is worse. and 3 is the terrible twos with attitude.
My little boy will be 3 next month, he’s just gotten into the whole telling me what he’s going to do thing. He says it with the most hateful voice and face ever. How can you not laugh when he really thinks it’s going to happen like that?
OMG, I got a 3 year old here as well. Cut from the same mold. I try not to show her I’m laughing, too.
I especially like the roll of the eyes…lol
Sorry to inform you, but three is just the beginning. LOL With an 18 year old, a 9 year old and 7 year old, I have to say the attiutde will only develop. LOL
Ha! That is pretty darn cute. I have to admit that I didn’t handle the “I’m turning three and have to be a difficult child NOW” phase very well.
Although I am enjoying the “I’m three and a half and have to tattle on daddy out every chance I get” phase. This one is much more fun!
Ah, three, so glad that’s almost over :) It’s funny as three has been difficult, but the only time he says something like that is when he’s copying his brother. Mostly it’s reverting to grunts and baby talk as his method of attention. He just started saying I love you, though,and it melts my heart. Even when he says “I’m really angry at you, but I still love you.”
that is too funny! i’m fully expecting my youngest boy to the exact same thing…luckily i have a couple of years before he gets to that stage!
The Mayor is right there too. I actually ask him to STOP BEING A JERK.
At least you’re laughing…