Ugh. We were on a plane the other day (always a joy with small children) and Jane began screaming -- full-throated screaming -- because she wanted the cookie that Rose hadn't yet finished, despite having already eaten her own cookies. Finally the flight attendant came over and asked if she wanted another cookie, and while I normally wouldn't agree to rewarding that behavior, you bet I gave her the cookie, if only to keep ourselves from being murdered by the other passengers.

I'm sorry about the migraine. I hope she gives you a bit of a break this afternoon.

I'm just not flying until ltc is older. Travel is hard enough on me.

The sitter is here. I can hear another epic tantrum happening. I don't have to go out there, right?

I don't have to go out there, right?

NOPE!

Three is one of the hardest ages (IME so far). I can't remember where I encountered the term "threenager" but it fit SO WELL.

It does! Rolling eyes, slamming doors etc.

The sitter is getting paid! She (or he) has to deal with it. You do not.

Besides, you deal with it on an ongoing basis - the sitter comes, sits and leaves.

I thought (with all three kids) that the so-called terrible twos were a breeze, and was ticked off that no one warned me about three. "Threenager" is a perfectly cromulent word for it.

I think they're big enough to want to be big kids, but get really tired out and frustrated from trying to be big kids, and they just don't have the emotional control that even a four year old can summon. So they're big babies, but more willful and more verbal than regular babies.

Did you go out for the tantrum, sj, or did you let it wind down on its own?

I went to sleep, Cindy and let the sitter deal with it. I would have probably only made it worse anyway.

Good for you, and that's what I was thinking -- not that you would make it worse, but that she knows how to get to you, whereas the baby sitter can more easily disengage emotionally.

I hope you have a good night, sj.