3-year-olds are a**holes.

[BoostedD1]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4784416

I have two children. Before I had kids, everyone warned me about the terrible twos. Watch out, when your kid turns 2 they become wild and uncontrollable. All they say is "no" to everything and good luck, because that year is going to suck big time.

Well, I am here to tell you that "everyone" was wrong. Two-year-olds are challenging, but they are nowhere near as hard to deal with as 3-year-olds.

After dealing with two 3-year-olds in my house, I can tell you from experience that they are undeniably the hardest humans on the face of the planet to negotiate with. The reason? They don't give a f*ck!

My daughter is 3. No matter what I tell her to do, she does not f*cking care. For example, I could tell her to put her pants on. She will insist that she is absolutely not under (any circumstances) wearing those pants because they are blue. "I want pink pants!" she will shout. I explain to her that there are no clean pink pants. I open the drawers and show her that they do not contain pink pants. She doesn't f*cking care. She still wants the pink pants that do not exist.

This morning, she got out of bed, took a cup from the kitchen -- one of those expensive, Preserve recycled cups -- and threw it in the toilet. I gritted my teeth and explained to her that she wasn't to do that again. She just smiled. So I sheepishly put her in time out.

And it's not just her. Ari acted the same way at 3. He was oppositional, didn't care what I told him to do and wanted to do the opposite. In fact, I blocked out a lot of his defiant behavior because I think I was traumatized by how I had absolutely no control over him.

I thought, maybe my kids are just challenging me. Maybe I'm a sh*tty parent. But no, it's not just me. This is a worldwide epidemic. All 3-year-olds do this to their parents. Something happens to children when they turn 3. They become... assholes.

I'm sorry, there's no other way to put it. They do whatever they want to do and they do not care if you tell them not to do it. In fact, if you tell them to stop throwing M&Ms at the cat, they will throw more M&Ms at the cat with increasing velocity and greater intention to hit the cat in the face.

Thankfully, they don't stay assholes for a long time. Their asshole behavior only lasts for one year. When they turn 4, they become slightly easier to negotiate with and gradually begin to respond to bribery. So there is hope.

If you are dealing with an asshole now, just take a deep breath and realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This too shall pass... in 12 months.

Thought this pretty funny the way it was written...

[mstng86]

3 year olds are 10x worse than 2 year olds. I agree. My son was an asshole.

1 more to go for me.

[CexMashean]

[mstng86]

Its a little too soon to spank a 3 year old with a belt. IMO.

There are other ways to punish them at that age. Don't think it didn't cross my mind though. I have broken out the belt and slapped it on the bed to get his attention.

[CexMashean]

So, hand then?

[Tyrone Biggums]

Disagree. We never got the "terrible two's" thing. We never had the issues people would try and warn you about. Not even at 3. I will give a fair amount of credit to my wife and her being a stay at home mom. I think that has helped in many ways across the board with his development and personality. I know not everyone can swing it, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[mstng86]

Disagree. We never got the "terrible two's" thing. We never had the issues people would try and warn you about. Not even at 3. I will give a fair amount of credit to my wife and her being a stay at home mom. I think that has helped in many ways across the board with his development and personality. I know not everyone can swing it, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Every kid has their own personality and their own situation. My oldest just turned 4. He had his moments of defiance and he is starting to "get it". He is starting to help with chores around the house and not throwing temper tantrums.

I will say my wife is a stay at home mom, and what she says goes most of the time for him.

[TexasT]

You better handle up on some scene control as when they turn ten, fifteen and our eldest is 20, it becomes much more difficult. They roll out with their friends and you get no say in what kind of decisions they will make, except for what you have taught them. You have until about six years old then if they can not or will not make good choices you will be on a first name basis with the asst, and principal. No doubt in my mind, sometimes you must use physical force to get them to submit. You just have to know the limits, theirs and yours.

My son is 17 so I'm familiar with how young men act, too. Get it under control or you my friend, are in for a very bumpy ride.

[Hmbre97]

My boy is going to be 3 in June. He hasn't been too bad other than crying over the dumbest, most petty shit but I have to remember that he doesn't think rationally right now.

One thing I'm dealing with right now though is he thinks it's the funniest thing in the world to slap and kick the shit out of the dog. Luckily our dog takes it like a champ, but I'm afraid he's going to slap the wrong dog one day if we're out at the park.

[BoostedD1]

I hadn't noticed the video towards the bottom of the link posted...

Mom is nutz. I would have been so pissed about the little buzz kills pouring that crap all over the tv... Smh.

[TexasT]

One thing comes to mind with the pink pants scenario. I would try the reward for performance angle. Explain that if we wear the blue today, whatever the rest of the week and don't have an out of control episode, on sat we will go to the store and reap the reward of some new pink pants.

Just an angle we have used. Just make sure you can provide the reward as they won't negotiate if they think you won't front the prize. They won't forget either.

[VaderTT]

We put ours in the kennel when she's bad.

[Chas_svo]

There is so much "you're doing it wrong" there. You start being a parent long before 3, or you get the "above".

[Probie]

You better handle up on some scene control as when they turn ten, fifteen and our eldest is 20, it becomes much more difficult. They roll out with their friends and you get no say in what kind of decisions they will make, except for what you have taught them. You have until about six years old then if they can not or will not make good choices you will be on a first name basis with the asst, and principal. No doubt in my mind, sometimes you must use physical force to get them to submit. You just have to know the limits, theirs and yours.

My son is 17 so I'm familiar with how young men act, too. Get it under control or you my friend, are in for a very bumpy ride.

I'm glad you get it lol. Seriously, it took my parents a little while. I'm 20, and they realized that I'm gonna go out, and they really have no say in what I do or who I hang out with. But they raised me right, I might not be making the best decisions. But I'm not out doing drugs and getting arrested.

[YALE]

This thread makes me want a vasectomy really bad.