Having a 2 year old is exhausting. I feel as though most days I am holding my breath for the next thing she will use her favorite word for… ‘NO.’ It is becoming more and more difficult to find that fine line between what is worth disciplining over and what just needs to be let go. You start to question yourself as a parent, “what if this little thing I let her get away with turns into a much bigger thing?”
Round 1: Breakfast
Momma: Sweetie, what would you like for Breakfast?
Daughter: Umm, a hot dog?
(ok, let’s try this again)
Momma: How about some eggs and cereal for Breakfast?
Daughter: Umm, yes.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Round 1 goes to Momma!
Round 2: Finishing Breakfast
Daughter: I watch Elmo?
Momma: You cannot watch Sesame Street until you are all done.
Daughter: I all done.
(yep, trying that one again)
Momma: You need to have a few more bites before you can watch Sesame Street.
Daughter: I no like it.
Momma: How about some apple slices while you watch Sesame Street?
Daughter: Elmo!!
Momma: (places apple slices in Daughter’s lap while watching Sesame Street)
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Round 2 goes to Daughter
Round 3: Naptime
(huge yawns followed by eye rubbing)
Daughter: I tired.
Momma: Wanna go upstairs and get your bubbas (pacifiers)?
Daughter: No!
Momma: Momma will lay with you upstairs…
Daughter: O-tay!
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Round 3 goes to the sleeping Momma on the bed next to the daughter playing with her stuffed Elmo!
Round 4: General Playtime
Momma: (seeing crayons everywhere) Sweetie, can you please pick up your crayons and put them back in your crayon box?
Daughter: No!
Momma: Listen. If you don’t put your crayons away, and stop throwing them, you can’t color anymore.
Daughter: I do puzzle now.
Momma: You can play with your puzzle but you have to clean up your crayons first.
Daughter: (dumps puzzle and ignores Momma)
Momma: (tone rising) Do you want to go upstairs and go to bed??
Daughter: O-tay!
(not where that was supposed to go…)
Momma: (last resort time) Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere
Daughter: (now cleaning crayons) Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Round 4 goes to the desperate, Barney song using, Momma!
Even though each round has seemed to present its own challenge, I know it will be a totally different combination of battles the next day. I’m finding that there is no one way to win the battle, or to pick which ones to fight. Every day presents a new issue with a new way to handle it as my daughter seems to find ways to out-smart me.
I’m learning the true battle, is tapping into my patience and reminding myself that she is only two and we are both learning from each other.
They say “perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” So, I’ll keep failing and learning new ways to succeed and feel joy in all the little victories!
Are you the Momma of a 2 Year Old?
Can YOU relate?
