The Terrible Threes brought new challenges to our family. Our daughter became bossy, demanding and prone to explosive meltdowns over the littlest things.
One day after a long tantrum over putting on her shoes, I was at my wits end. I firmly told her "Use your words, not your tantrums." But she only screamed louder.
Sarah took her aside. "I know you're frustrated. Why don't we take a deep breath and try again?" Our daughter took a shaky breath and with Sarah's patience, was soon talking through her feelings instead of screaming.
I was impressed. "How do you do that?" I asked Sarah.
She smiled. "Love and patience. She's just three, learning how to handle big feelings."
I realized Sarah was right. Our daughter was still so young, still developing skills to navigate the world. The tantrums were a call for guidance, not discipline.
The next time our daughter started to meltdown, I knelt down and hugged her. "I know you're upset. Let's take a deep breath together." She took a big breath, then another, and slowly began to calm down.
Sarah smiled at me. "You're a natural."
I smiled back. "Only because I have the best teacher."
The terrible threes are challenging, but with patience, love and teamwork, we're helping our daughter develop important skills. And those small breakthroughs - like deep breaths that calm big feelings - remind us what truly matters in parenting.
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