Terrible Twos!!!!!

So, the terrible twos have officially hit with my youngest daughter. I am beginning to think she will be a challenge. She is beginning to follow in her sister's footsteps. I sympathize with all mothers. Being sane when a child turns three is a hard feat to accomplish.

My two year old has decided to invoke her own personal will. Usually, she is pretty easy to deal with and will do anything when asked. Last night, it all hit the fan. While I tried to give my oldest daughter my full attention to do homework, I sat my two year old in her high chair to snack on some Cheerios. Most of the time, this keeps her busy long enough to finish homework. Well, she decided that she would decorate the kitchen floor with her snack. 150 Cheerios later, homework is done and I proceeded to ask my two year old to pick up her mess after I let her out of the high chair. She picked up about two and then she decided she wouldn't pick up any more.

I will spare the ugly details but, after trying to force her to pick them up, I had to walk away from her. There is a fine line between getting a child to cooperate and going to jail. I decided that my kids need me at home rather than becoming bunk buddies with 180 pound butch that calls herself a woman.

I was determined to have her clean up her own mess so I left the Cheerios on the floor. I pleaded with her to pick them up with no result and complete refusal. After Dad came home and we had dinner, we again tried to get her to pick them up. Complete refusal. Putting her hands on the Cheerios wouldn't even get her to pick them up. If we could get her to actually grab one, she wouldn't let go to put it in the trash. Dragging her back and forth from the trash can and the Cheerios just got more irritating. I finally calmed down enough to speak to her on a two year old level and convinced her to pick them all up and place them on a napkin. I explained that we could bundle them up and put them in the trash all at once. This seemed to get her attention so off we went picking up the Cheerios.

About three fourths of the way through, she slows down and starts refusing again. Here we go! More of the same forcing and refusing. After all patience was exhausted on her part and on our part, she finally had all the Cheerios picked up. Straight upstairs and in the bath for an early bedtime for her was the only way I could deal with her for the rest of the evening.

Today, she has again invoked some of her own will and it has tested my patience yet again. I pray to the Lord above to grant me patience like I've never had or to at least give me the ability to turn a situation like this into something she feels like she is doing of her own free will.

I will try to calm my nerves and enjoy dinner with my family. I am hoping that when Dad comes home, I can change my mental state and turn it in a different direction. He has a way of calming me when I am at my wits end. I love it when he walks in the door.