Layla has recently started displaying behavior that I'm not a fan of. Not that she's been a perfect angel up until now (because that is clearly not the case!), but new, "ugly" behavior is popping up.
I have heard "I don't like you" erupt from her mouth quite a bit the last few days. She sometimes says it towards me, sometimes towards my husband but mostly towards Piper. Ugh!
I tell her that it is a "bad choice" to say that. That it is not nice. Her response: "But I don't like her." It happens at times when she's getting frustrated, annoyed, irritated with Piper so, at least at this point in time, I think the phrase is an inaccurate wording of her feelings. However, it doesn't change the fact that she's setting a pattern to use that phrase more and more over the years.
She has also become more aggressive towards Piper. I use that word fairly lightly because she's not all-out beating on her and I know full well (from personal experience) that the aggression will only worsen as she (and Piper) gets bigger. She has simply become rough with Piper over the past week or so.
Pushing.
Hitting.
Kicking.
Knocking down.
You get the picture.
Mostly it's the pushing/knocking down.
Piper is usually just wanting to play with her big sister and Layla simply needs some personal space time. Neither one knows how to express her feelings when these situations arise. Layla resorts to one of the aforementioned behaviors and Piper usually follows suit.
There are so many things Piper does at this age that Layla did not and it's solely because she has a big sister's lead to follow. Some of these are positive such as pretend play. Most are negative - screaming, spitting, hitting, pushing, etc.
I knew that the younger child would quickly learn to stand up for herself, I just did not realize the scope of what that meant.
I know it's foolish of me to say that I hope their behavior towards each other ends soon. However, I will continue to hope that their behavior towards each other is not displayed towards their peers at school/daycare during the day.
Of the two, I think Piper will be the one to be rough with her friends at daycare. She's always been quick to show her frustrations physically. Again, I'm sure this is because she's always had a bigger sister getting in her space and annoying the snot out of her.
Which reminds me...I should probably start working with Piper on "being nice" and how that looks considering we're going to have a newborn in the house in a few weeks. Layla always rubbed my belly when we said she had to "be nice to the baby" and then when Piper came home she would rub Piper's belly. Too cute! Piper has no clue that a baby is even coming. There's a big difference in 3 months at this age - Layla was 20 months and Piper will be 17.
But I'm off topic...
The girls are making it quite interesting (aka - difficult) to know how to parent such situations. Do I let them work out their frustrations or step in? I'm currently doing it half & half according to my energy level at the moment the fighting erupts. :-)
Parenting never gets easier. Once you think you've got it down pat a new stage pops up and throws you right back down.
But it's a ride I would never trade!
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