I've noticed in most kids, 3 and 4 year olds are a little harder to deal with than 2 year olds.  Mainly because they have more vocabulary.

I'm due with my first child in 10 days or so, so I don't really have any advice.  But I will be looking here to see what advice is given!

I like the idea talking about feelings of parental failure.  It's something I feel all the time.

@mstigerfrogs@xanga - I hope you can get some good ideas from here. I wish I would've had more advice when it comes to toddlers. There's so much about babies and so much emphasis on their care taking but there isn't much preparation for the toddler phase, which can get pretty rough at times.

I'm looking forward to this.

I have a 3 year old. Oh. My. Word. I don't think two was nearly this bad. Nope.

@mstigerfrogs@xanga - That's true and pretty good knowledge to have. That's one of the points in my upcoming post about Bad Attitudes. 

IMO its the "Horrific 3s"..  terrifying just doesn't suit it for me.
My boy is 4.. and he was an uber easy going guy until he hit 2 and a half. And then all heck broke lose. Now he is in JK, but only every other day.. I find most of the attitude problems stems from boredom and wanting attention (especially with his 1yr old very demanding sister around), and being hungry.
I find with toddlers, the 2 biggest things is Consistency and Routine, especially with boys.

You just gave me another reason not to have children.

@WulfEyes@xanga - If only there were a way to skip the 3's ; )

It's not popular now days, because I see so much rude behavior when I'm out and about.  It seems to be about re-directing bad behavior.  But my question to that one is how does the child learn what behaviors are acceptable?  I still opt for consequences, beit a time out, or a removal of a favorite toy for a time period, always talking about why mom and dad are doing this.  As the child gets older, a chart on the frig is good.  Stars for good behaviors are nice.  Showing kids what is acceptable and what is not by always following through, and not just hacking, and not just counting to three in the store works.  I remember actually leaving my grocery cart in the store and removing my children, and then when they didn't have their favorite cereal or whatever on those weeks, we'd talk about why.  And I think it's ludicrous to have a four year old pooping his pants, when he's practically old enough to read.

@Pollypinks@xanga - yeah, there is a lot of rude behavior. I think a lot of the recent problem is that from the time when women find out they're pregnant, they are fed a wealth of resources about caring for baby and not so much how to deal with when that baby turns into a toddler. We're taught to coddle the baby but then the baby turns into a narcissistic toddler and we're still in the coddling mode, not sure of the changes that are about to occur.
There is so much misinformation too. Nothing makes me more angry than women taking advice from a man with a PHD who has never personally had kids, doling out advice about how to "not parent" their kids. It's actually a kind of new parent movement now that teaches that all you have to do is reason with your child. First of all, toddlers are primarily driven by emotions and not really capable of using adult logic or adult reasoning, such as: if I hit Tommy, it's going to hurt him. They think, "Tommy is in my way. I want him out of my way." Trying to reason with them without consequences is like trying to go to the bathroom and not pulling down your pants. It's going to be a mess and more to clean-up than if it would have been done correctly in the first place.
That's a lot of what this is all about. How to actively teach your child and truly "parent" in a way that will help moms have kids that are not out of control.

How long before my next post?  How about the next time some kid goes on a rampage in a restaurant, or talks out loud during a movie, or bargains with his mother in the store and controls her, and not the other way around.  My  husband's a teacher and he has to deal with these monsters when they hit school and are totally dense about appropriate socially acceptable behavior .  I actually had a friend when I was raising my kids who spoiled her kids so badly it was pathetic.  Told them every day they were the smartest kids in the world.  Let them run around the house screaming when company was there.  Let them run around outside the neighborhood in underwear.  Well guess what?  When they hit school the hammer came down, and they always discover there's someone smarter than your kid.  Talk about childhood depression.  They needed one shrink after another.  Would you let an adult at a counter talk to you rudely?   Then why would you let your kid do it?

My husband has taught 6th grade for coming up 23 years, and it's heartbreaking, because by that time he can predict fairly accurately, which kids will wind up dropping out in junior hi.  It's so darn sad, because it's not that the parents haven't been advised, told, and that the kids haven't had years of repercussions for bad behavior.  It's just that so many parents feel like, "My kid has straight F's, so it's the teacher's fault."  "Gets in trouble with peers, but it's not his fault."  "Don't need counseling or medication because we don't have problems in our family."  And then we get word down the road that so and so is in prison.  Heart breaking.

I must be the luckiest parent.. Other then a few little things all 4 of my kids have never had major issuses or tantrums.. If they throw a fit or what not I just tell them it is unacceptable and they stop. And YES i have a 3 year old. Our biggest trouble had always been cleaning thier room but isnt that just being a kid.