"Terrible twos"...

We thought we knew all about the terrible twos. We didn't. But we do now. Lovisa is completely intransigent and defiant right now. Everything we tell her she refuses to do. Even if it's a fun thing like going to the park. Give her 5 minutes and she comes to us and wants to go to the park. Well, that's not that terrible. But when we're going to daycare and she throws herself on the floor screaming, kicking and spitting then it's terrible. I remember a few years back, before the children arrived, that I used to see these terrible toddlers in stores or outside, screaming, kicking and hitting and somehow I kind of closed my eyes and thought to myself that I would never be in the same situation. Thought that it's probably the parents that doesn't tech the children to behave or that they don't give them enough attention. Well, now I know better...

The other day we were leaving for daycare. As usual we were running late. Everything went wrong, Lovisa refused to eat her breakfast, she refused to brush her teeth, she was mean to Andréa, teasing her and hitting her, she was spitting on the floor, then she hit me and I just about had it with her. I already opened the door to go outside when I got the slap from her, whereas I stopped and gave her a lesson about hitting and behaving. I can honestly say I was so mad I don't really remember exactly what I said but I sounded very mad with my voice raised near screaming. Only to look up and there was my neighbor with her two little toddlers, waiting for the elevator. She's the quite type that hardly says hello and she gave me the look. You know, the "should-you-really-be-lecturing-your-toddler-in-that-terrible-way" kind of look. And I felt so stupid. I felt like somebody I don't know saw me naked and denuded. Now I was that mother that I, years ago, felt pity for but never thought I would become. A mother that's sweating, swearing and just had a bit of a beat up from a 2,5 year old stubborn toddler...

"Lovisa takes off her shoes and her jacket. 

When she's taken off all her clothes she carries them to her shelf"

Lovisa at daycare, a totally different little girl - 

happy and obedient...