15 Reasons the 'Terrible Twos' Aren't All That Terrible
I still remember the day my son turned 2. I gave him a cupcake and a cuddle and tried to ignore my sense of impending doom. I'd heard the "terrible twos" cliché so often that it felt like I was snuggling a ticking time bomb. But days went by and I found that my 2-year-old was actually super delightful. His language skills were developing rapidly, so we started to be able to have actual conversations. He was funny and loving and he finally fully outgrew his brief -- but painful -- biting phase.
It turns out that age 2 was actually really awesome for both my kids. I'm not sure why this age has gotten such a bad rap (especially since age 3 really seems to be the worst, according to my informal poll), but I know I'm not alone in finding this phase to be fantastic. I talked to 15 other moms and found that all of them have fond memories of this peak toddler year.
More from CafeMom: 10 Ways 3-Year-Olds Are Much More Terrible than 2-Year-Olds
Two-year-olds tend to still be sweet and cuddly. They start to sleep better at night. They can help their parents out. And there are some really cool milestones that can happen at this age.
Read on for all the reasons why we actually love this age, and then send this along to any other terrified parents of 1-year-olds about to have a birthday.
Let's spread the word that 2 really is terrific!
Finding Friends
"For both of my kids, 2 was the age when they started having friends. I love seeing the transition from parallel play to interactive play. It's fun to see them grow socially. And they are so huggy with their friends, which is freaking adorable." -- Sarah F., Tucson, Arizona
Pure Joy
"Two-year-olds rule. They wear their emotions on their sleeves and are so pure in their joy." -- Diane E., Pittsburgh, Pennsylania
More from CafeMom: 10 Ways 3-Year-Olds Are Much More Terrible Than 2-Year-Olds
Little Scientist
"My 2-year-old is turning into this little scientist. He totally wants to know how everything works and he loves to try to take things apart and figure out how to put them back together. It is kind of messy but it is really fun too." -- Mariah J., Boise, Idaho
Cute Mispronunciations
"I love that they are really coming into their own with language. I love their little voices and the way they learn words. My daughter called bubbles 'lubbies' and I was so sad when she started saying that one correctly. Those little words were so cute." -- Annie E., Tucson, Arizona
More from CafeMom: 25 Words All Toddlers Should Know by Age 2