Help With 3 Year Olds
 

IT is so funny because every new age group is new for me. My crew of little ones are starting to turn 3 in the next few months starting with my son recently.

I am just looking for any advice you can give for this age group. I thought 2's were supposed to be hard, but they were actually really fun! Now, they are all becoming testy and stinkers.

Thanks and I hope all are well!

every activity that runs their energy out....walking, time outdoors, wear them out every single day!

Three is much harder than two! But they can do so much more, and talk so much more, and can be such fun. My best advice is not to get into power struggles, and to let them express--and validate--their powerful emotions before trying to talk/reason. And I agree with the poster who said to go out as often as possible.

I actually really enjoy the threes. In the twos, you see lots of meltdowns and tantrums mainly due to the inability to use the words to express their needs and frustrations. You also have the whining, and that is so very draining.

By the time they are 3, they usually have the ability to express their needs and emotions with their words. They might still need work on the whining, but the biggest piece of advice I can give to encourage them to "Use your words!". If someone is whining while they are asking for something; I calmly ask them to "Say it nicely." They don't get what they want until they have asked for it nicely. That includes their interactions with the other children, too. I often hear the kids say to each other "Say it nicely!"