Comments on: Why 2-year-olds are cute

By: Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life

Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 19:11:07 +0000

I’ve definitely repeated this to myself a few times – it’s a good thing you’re cute, JuggerBaby!

Ze is the same age and probably not so incidentally the same about stomping in all manner of disgusting and racing into the house despite having a no shoes in the house rule all zir life. Or squashing all zir food in zir hands and smearing it on the table, face, and head. Some days, ze loves bathing but some days washing zir hair causes a howling that you wouldn’t believe. It’ll pass. But oh my goodness it feels like it won’t 🙂

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:13:20 +0000

In reply to Prachi.

@Prachi- thanks so much! I’m so glad you liked the book. Yep, it’s never all bad — so we’ve got to be careful about the stories we tell ourselves.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 12:12:22 +0000

In reply to Barb. @Barb - oh, I know the crazy-making doesn't stop. One child has forgotten to bring his viola home from school for a week now. Good times.

By: Barb

Barb — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 19:36:04 +0000

I once read of a study that did, in fact, report the “it’s a good thing they’re cute” syndrome. We (and other mammals) are designed to find features like big eyes etc on young creatures adorable so we don’t strangle them when they tumble all muddy into the clean sheets.

My younger, who defines “second child syndrome” (if he’d been born first, there wouldn’t have been a second child). Just graduated from high school. Some things do pass, but they will still drive you inSANE with new things…like not opening their student email with incredibly important, time-sensitive instructions.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:19:11 +0000

In reply to lauravanderkam. When I found the bottle, Bossypants was the first thing I thought of. The really funny part was how proud he was of it! He told me he was recycling. You're right. They are who they are. We have to have faith that the behaviors we find trying now will serve them as they get older. Maybe your child will be an explorerer or adventurer. Maybe he's on Tokyo time with his sleep schedule and may end up in some foreign place doing amazing things.

By: Prachi

Prachi — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 15:10:25 +0000

This was such a positive post to read! I’ve read your book Laura- I know how she does it, and love it! I have a 13 month old who is quite similar to your son in terms of energy and stubbornness and sometimes it feels like too much when you have to work full time too! But as you’ve mentioned in your post too, it’s never all just bad. She is adorable and funny most of the times and I also get time to read my books, watch movies, go out or have a drink or even catch a movie with a friend! Which is great! Thanks for putting this into words

By: Mary Vanderkam

Mary Vanderkam — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 13:53:25 +0000

The Story Worth question for this week, which I just read, is “What is a motto tht you live by?” I won’t say I lived by this motto, but I often think we parented by this motto: “This too will pass.” From 650 miles away, I just want to hug that little guy and see his mischievous face! Easy to say when I don’t have to get up at 5:30 am with him! And when we did get up with him a month ago at 6:30 am, he woke up singing “Jingle Bells.” Now that was pretty cute!

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 12:50:46 +0000

In reply to Jennie.

@Jennie – maybe he has a future as a comedy writer? I think that’s the part of Tina Fey’s Bossypants that stuck out most for me. She noticed that many of the male comedy writers she worked with had bottles of urine in their offices. Gross!

But yes, I totally agree with you that children are different, and they kind of are who they are. You can enforce some things, but others are just going to go as they go. My 2-year-old is high energy and stubborn. He can be sweet when he wants to be and is shockingly verbal for a 2-year-old boy, so I just have to trust that all this is going to serve him well in his future life.

By: Jennie

Jennie — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 11:42:52 +0000

Children are funny. I have 3. I have parented them all basically in the same manner. My oldest 2, are easy going. Some bumps, but nothing too major. (Although, we are heading into the teenage years so we’ll see.) My youngest is a whole different animal. And I do mean animal. This week, I found a 2 L bottle half filled with his urine in his bedroom. His bathroom is 10 feet from his room.
This kind of thing happens so much with him I wasn’t even all that surprised.

By: Hayley

Hayley — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:15:29 +0000

Laura
I can recommend “You can’t make me (but I can be persuaded)” by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias which we were motivated to buy in an attempt to cope with the behavior of our 4th daughter. Now 15, she is an absolute delight. There is hope!