Managing the terrible 2 phase.

A few nights ago, my sis in law called me. It was indeed a surprise, since she hardly calls to look for me specifically, though we do chat or socialize on FB online once in awhile.

She is going through this "terrible 2" phase of her bblui and asking for my opinion on how to tackle this awful phase since I have the experience from 3 kids. I can tell she's very frustrated and yet guilty and yet worried. I know the feeling since I had been there before. But that certainly didn't mean I know the answer to that.

I can only offer some solutions as every child has their own uniqueness and she has to use the trial and method to see which way works for her child. Otherwise, she can wait as I assured her this phase would pass, definitely.

This became a topic of conversation with my regular chat-kaki online, and she had said something I didn't think of before. From her experience, it's more of how the parents talk to the child even at that young tender age. Instead of giving orders, albeit with a soft tone or not, she suggested to "ask".

For example, instead of telling the child to wash her hands after coming home from school, can it be "Can you please go and wash your hands? They are dirty after a day's out" than "GO wash your hands NOW".

It makes sense, doesn't it?

I tried to reflect on myself these several days to check how my tone is when asking them to do some tasks. Really, when I change my tone and ask them "can you please.... ", it does work. But not always though. And my patience would be running thin. Grrr....

How many of us parents have this kind of patience to show respect when talking to their child? I respect them, really. And this is for you, goolymama, to show me this light, and I'm always amazed how good you are in this tough job called parenting. (can babysit them now? suen pin teach them something or two?)