Terrible Twos: Tips for Surviving with a Sense of Humor

Aaron: Ella we have to put your shirt on.

Ella: *Screaming* No! I don't want to put a shirt on!

Aaron: Tough cookies you have to wear a shirt.

Ella: No, I don't want cookies!

This is a typical conversation with our not-yet-two year old daughter. She has moved on from her mimicking phase to her opposite phase with the insertion of "no" at the beginning of each response. Made funny in the scenario above. But as most parents know, this phase can be exhausting. 

Ella is in such a wonderful/infuriating/exhausting/amazing stage right now. She is a toddler through and through. Throwing fits, taking in her surroundings, discovering more about the world around her. It is wonderful to be able to interact more as she learns to communicate with her words. 

It is in this stage that I try to remind myself to laugh. To take each moment in and try not to get discouraged. To use patience.

I decided to reach out to some fellow moms in the trenches who have been through this. I asked, what are your top tips for surviving the toddler years with a sense of humor? Here is what some of them had to say:

I tend to survive by posting the irritating situation on Facebook. People love that stuff (or they all just humor me, which is fine by me). Plus, my friends are hilarious, so I usually get comments that help me laugh at the situation too.

Every now and then, you may have to say to yourself, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Amazon Prime, since taking a monster toddler out in public can be challenging at least I can get most of my needs and wants delivered.

Family iPad hour(s). Because kids need to learn to navigate the tech world, but really mommy and daddy need our two year old to stop running around in circles and screaming.

Snacks. Lots of snacks.

Renew your sense of silliness and love of play. My kids do not respond to me asking them to do something, but if a "monster will eat them" if they don't go do what I asked, they will comply. I just have to put forth the effort to be silly and make them laugh, rather than just get annoyed and demand their obedience.

Oh and don't expect to arrive anywhere on time!

Take pictures of the crazy stuff, because you will laugh at it later!

You just have to realize that you cannot always be in control of the situation when you have a toddler. Once you relinquish whatever control you thought you had, it becomes so much easier to laugh at the tough situations. And just really let them be little. It's the only time they can act this way and it's okay!

Here's to all us parents in the toddler trenches - may we enjoy them in this stage the best we know how!