A public service announcement

Since becoming a mother, I've had many discussions about the Terrible Twos.  Now that my oldest is 4, I feel like I have something to contribute to this discussion.  This topic is front and center in my mind today after talking with a lady at the mall who was amazed that her 3 year old twin grandsons behaved so badly that she actually had to spank them.

This PSA is for those of you with children under the age of 3.  This is to dispel the myth of the "terrible twos" that everyone likes to warn you about.  Are you ready for the truth???  The Terrible Twos Do Not Exist.  Atleast in my experience and in many of my other mommy-friends experience.   I feel the need to inform other mothers that age 2 is when your child's personality is really starting to shine brightly.  Age 3 is when they want to use that personality to take over the world...

Really, though, something called a 3 year old monster takes hold of your child at age 3 and turns that sweet, loving, obedient, babbling baby into a loving, loud, disobedient-to-the-point-of-exhaustion toddler.  When Jackson was three (a long, long year ago), I had no less love for him, but there were many moments when I thought I might pull my hair out and that something must be wrong with my child.  Maybe he ate lead paint?  Maybe there was something in the well water in our house in Michigan?  Maybe his brain was injured in one of his many falls off of the playground/bed/table/couch/stairs?  Nope, he was just 3.  I thought that he was forever going to have behavior issues.  Would I have to drag him literally kicking and screaming out of IKEA (or any random store) everytime we went there--and everytime, the people in the parking lot would think that I was abducting him against his will???

Then, he turned 4.  And just like that, the 3 year old monster inside him left.  And now I have a loving, still loud, but mostly obedient and kind-hearted four year old boy.

(Disclaimer:  you may be one of the few "freaks" whose child will not ever hit this phase.  Consider yourself incredibly blessed!)


3 Year old Jackson (yes, those are the roots still attached to the flower he picked out of the yard for mommy)




4 Year old Jackson.  My sweet, firstborn son.