Terrible twos: what is it?

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Nateo CONCEPT

How to handle your two-year-old's tantrums?

The terrible twos is a period that parents dread and during which one can quickly feel helpless. Of course, it affects each child differently, but this delicate phase is essential for toddlers' development. So what exactly are the terrible twos? How do you handle crisis moments? What are the ways to act during this period to meet the child's needs?

What are the terrible twos?

Around the age of 2, children may go through a period where they tend to have multiple tantrums, mood swings that are difficult to manage, or respond "no" to everything suggested to them. This period can therefore be very difficult for parents who feel helpless and don't know how to handle the change: these are the terrible twos.

This difficult phase occurs primarily because the child experiences a strong need for autonomy that they need to assert. They want to push boundaries, and this is a very important moment in their development to gain confidence and pride. However, this strong need for autonomy is also accompanied by difficulties in managing emotions and particularly frustration. This explains the rejection of authority and tantrums.

It's also a time when the child will have great difficulty managing their emotions, especially anger. This is why their emotions overflow and sometimes result in quite intense outbursts. It's therefore important for parents to understand that this is a normal stage in the child's development process. Fortunately, it's only a temporary period that we can help navigate to support both the child and the whole family through it as best as possible.

How to react during crisis moments?

While crisis moments can test parents' nerves, getting angry and shouting is generally not the right solution. During crisis moments, the emotional load is so strong that the child can no longer manage it, so it's important to help them cope with it to gradually regain their calm.

Help the child understand what is happening

It is often recommended to get down to the child's level and help them name the emotion they are feeling. It's also important to explain to them that what they're feeling is normal, that we understand them, and that this emotion will gradually subside. With this type of response, the child gains a better understanding of what they're experiencing and will therefore find it easier to calm down. This approach is useful in the moment, but also in the long term as it helps them gradually better master their emotions.

Find ways to transfer the crisis

We can also offer the child means of expressing their emotions such as hitting a pillow if they are angry, for example. This practical implementation also helps the child understand what is acceptable or not to do when they feel something and have access to concrete tools to calm down on their own.

Don't hold grudges

Finally, it's important to keep in mind that the child doesn't have these reactions voluntarily; they are simply overwhelmed by their emotions. Once the crisis has passed, it's therefore important to show them support and affection.

The Montessori method as valuable help during the terrible twos

Since the terrible twos period is linked to a need for autonomy and difficulties in managing emotions, the Montessori method can be an excellent way to handle it more easily. Indeed, this approach aims precisely to promote the child's autonomy in daily life to encourage their development. There are many activities from this method that we can offer at all ages and according to the child's needs. The main goal is to respect their rhythm.

To facilitate the implementation of the Montessori method at home, the use of Montessori furniture is recommended. A Montessori furniture piece is designed for the application of the Montessori method. As Montessori furniture, we can notably mention:

The Montessori tower: This Montessori furniture is a learning tower for babies. The child can stand in it to be at the height of a sink, table, or work surface. Thanks to the Montessori learning tower, parents can share many daily activities with their children.
The Montessori house bed: This Montessori furniture is a child's bed close to the floor that allows young ones to get up and go to bed without parental help. Thanks to this Montessori furniture, the child becomes more autonomous in managing their sleep. While it exists in a house shape format, you can also find other formats such as the children's bed with storage, or the convertible children's bed for example. Nateo Concept invites you to discover many other types of beds such as the MANLY trundle bed for example.

Beyond Montessori furniture, you can also acquire many accessories and toys throughout the child's development. Many books also explain the principles of the method and how to apply them at home (more information about the Montessori method).

While the terrible twos period can sometimes be difficult to overcome, there are many solutions we can deploy to try to calm things down and meet the needs of your child, who is also having a difficult time during this period.