Five Ways to Cope With the Terrible Twos

December 12, 2011

I’ve heard “experts” say the Terrible Twos are just a myth. Those are the self same experts who claim teething doesn’t hurt.

Liars.

Currently in the middle of my second tour of duty in the Terrible Twos, I’ve come up with a few coping mechanisms to help my fellow mommies out.

1. Music – I’ve controlled many a tantrum induced headache simply by plugging in my iPod. While I can still hear the screams of frustration, they’re somewhat muted by soothing music. As a side benefit, there have been many times that singing to my favorite Glee mash up has shocked my child out of her tantrum.

2. Naps – Never, ever give up the naps at this stage. I know many a mom who told me it was just too difficult to get their children to sleep once they turned two. Trust me, even an hour’s nap will refresh both you and your child. Can’t get them to sleep for an hour? Twenty minutes works in a pinch.

3. Craigslist- My children have an unhealthy fear of Craigslist. Mostly because I threaten to sell them on a regular basis.

4. Pick your battles – After a particularly stressful morning when my daughter wanted to wear a sundress in 20 degree weather, I finally realized sometimes it’s better to let her be cold and learn her lesson than spend a half hour fighting her into a long sleeve shirt.

5. Wine – At the end of the day, pour yourself a glass of wine, take a deep breath, and pat yourself on the back. You – and your toddler – survived another day.

Mandy Dawson is the creator of In Mandyland, an almost daily blog recording her adventures in juggling a full-time job, two active children, four arguing hens, a fluffy bunny, and one ex-husband. A self-diagnosed gardening and crafting addict, she often finds herself gluing together clay pots and trying to discover the cure for brown thumb. When she’s not writing, she can be found burning dinners while she stares off into space with a story idea. She was a regular contributor for Makes Fun of Stuff, Aiming Low, and Six Kitchens, and has been featured on BlogHer and Mamapedia. She is an Assistant Editor for Write on Edge and has had her fiction featured in three anthologies currently available on Amazon.