SEND HELP! Tips & Tricks for Dealing with Threenagers!

Disclaimer: I am in no way, shape, or form trained in child development other than birthing them and dealing with them. Read and take advice at your own risk.

Tip #1

Always approach with caution. Always. You never know if the item that made him/her happy yesterday, earlier today, or 5 minutes ago, will make him/her happy now. Be ready for an explosive reaction at any given moment that you did not anticipate. Any change in opinion is possible.

Tip #2

Adapt to change but do not change the routine. Sounds confusing right? HaHaHa, that is all part of their master plan. You must easily be willing to accommodate any type of change that can occur (see tip #1). However, you cannot be the cause of that change. This is critical. A change in the routine causes absolute chaos.

Tip #3

Be firm, but not too firm – you will be called out for it and likely in public. You may have a great day, maybe even the best day ever, but if you yell at your child even once, that is what that child seems to remember … in the middle of the grocery store check-out line … loudly.

Tip #4

While we are on the topic of the grocery store … Buy literally every food item there. You will never know when his/her cute little taste buds will magically change and decide they no longer LOVE the thing they LOVED yesterday. Think you can threaten no dessert? Yeah, let me know how long that lasts? We’ve had hunger strikes already.

Tip #5

You now have an extra shadow. You may have had this shadow in previous years but now this shadow talks ALOT more. This shadow also asks a lot of questions and remembers how you answer them so make sure to answer wisely.

Do you have a three-going-on-thirteen-year-old at home? Do you have any additional tips and tricks to share or at least make me laugh away a hard day? Please help a mom out!!

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