My LEAST Favorite Age (so far...)

Three years old is my least favorite age (so far). Yes, three's can be absolutely adorable. Yes, they can say and do funny little things. But they are also so desperately trying. At least, my kids are at 3.

I remember when BigBro was 3. DH would come home in the evening and ask what we had done that day. "I put BigBro in time-out." I would reply. "What else did you do?" "Another time-out. And another." It seemed like there were days where he was into one form of mischief or another and the entire day was spent disciplining him.

Princess threw a lot of tantrums when she was 3. I think I spent most of that year carrying her to her room, and telling her that we'd love to see her again when she was calm. She could throw a good tantrum... sometimes 45 minutes would go by before she would be ready to re-join us.

LilBro is now in the throes of a good reign of Three-dom. And I am just exhausted by it all. He stuffs toilet paper in the sink drain and turns the (icy cold) faucet on. He refuses to wait for me to finish a math lesson before getting himself a drink and ends up pouring an entire pitcher of (sticky) lemonade all over the floor. He is difficult and defiant. Every reasonable request on my part is met with a loud, snotty, "NO! I won't."

He's lucky he's so darn cute.

He's also lucky that I've got some experience now... that I've seen the longer picture. BigBro, who famously spent days in and out of time-outs, now needs only a reminder of proper behavior. Princess rarely throws even a little fit (though she is still a first-class whiner!) So, I know that consistent, firm-but-kind discipline at 3 will pay off... sooner than I think.

Still...some days it's just really hard to remember that while my arm is thrust in icy water attempting to declog the sink!