What is 2 Year Syndrome, What are its Symptoms?
It usually starts around 18 months and continues until the child is around 3-3.5 years old. The 2-year-old syndrome is one of the periods when parents have the most difficulty in child development.
How to Cope with 2-Year-Old Syndrome?
The 2-year-old syndrome usually starts around 18 months and continues until the child is around 3-3.5 years old. The 2-year-old syndrome is a special period in which some problems are encountered during the transition from infancy to childhood.
When Does the 2 Year Syndrome End?
It usually starts around 18 months and continues until the child is around 3-3.5 years old. The 2-year-old syndrome is one of the periods when parents have the most difficulty in child development. The main problems faced during this period are:
“I will do it” attachments, insistence on requests, disobedience, doing the opposite of what is requested, jealousy, meticulousness, obsessions and shyness,
appetite problems,
Sleep disorders, not wanting to sleep,
tantrums; parents- hitting, biting, hurting other children; banging his head, throwing himself to the ground, crying nonstop,
Toilet problems.
2 Years Syndrome Symptoms
Generally, in children 2 years old syndrome; Some behaviors such as excessive stubbornness, unexplained crying attacks, clinging, hurting oneself or others when angry, biting, hitting are seen. In fact, most of them either never existed before or very little. However, it starts to increase suddenly during this period.
When Does 2 Year Syndrome Start?
It can start around the age of 1.5 and last up to the age of 3.5. In general, we expect; After the age of 3.5, the child calms down with the increase of socialization and socialization. However, if the child has learned how to manipulate the family while going through this syndrome, he can carry some of his habits in this period to later ages.
Don’t worry if your child is 2 years old and drives you crazy with their behavior. This situation of children between the ages of 2-3 is temporary. Things to consider in your relationship with your child during this period:
Give your child age-appropriate responsibilities. Set clear, consistent boundaries, make you feel safe.
Take it outside a lot during the day to discharge its energy.
When angry, stand next to him calmly without making eye contact with him. Make him feel that you are aware of his behavior.
Set consistent boundaries and try to explain the boundaries you draw while he is calm. In this way, in the event of an event or in angry situations, what you have told will come to mind and will predict how he should behave.
Create safe environments where your child can push his limits, see the results when he crosses the limits from time to time, learn the results, be free and reveal himself fully.
If there is a behavior that you do not want him to do, do not show behaviors such as getting angry, blocking and punishing. “No!” Be selective in using the word. Don’t say “no” to every request unless it’s impossible to fulfill.
If he is making acts that harm him and perceives it as a game, turn his attention to other directions with gestures, facial expressions and words that show that you do not like this behavior.
Understanding Should Be Shown to the Child with the 2-Year-Old Syndrome
The underlying causes of the problems that develop during the 2-year-old syndrome are actually the factors hidden within the child’s psychological development. The state of self-consciousness in children develops between 18-24 months. In this period, he/she has the abilities to recognize and discover the world, the objects and people around him. He starts to use his body and his communication skills increase. The more objects he touches, the more questions he asks, the more he tries to reveal himself, the more positively his development will be affected. The child who is prevented from asking questions may show insecure and introverted personality traits in the future. A child whose anger is inhibited may turn this emotion towards himself over time and show behaviors such as biting. This is a period in which the child reveals himself, wants everything to be his, and behaves persistently. No matter how tiring and worn out these behaviors are to parents, it is necessary to accept this temporary period and be prepared. In this period, the child should never be defined as a maladaptive, ill-bred, bad-tempered child.
How should a child with 2-year-old syndrome be treated?
2 years old syndrome; It is part of child development. Every person in the face of events; Since the level of perception and tolerance is different, some parents can cope with the troubles of this period more easily, while some parents may have more difficulties. Difficulty families get help from a child mental health professional; With this period, it not only makes them better equipped on how to deal with it, but also helps them to correct if there is an incorrect child-rearing attitude.
Show the Child His Limits
The two most important points are to be aware of the fact that this is a normal process and to set limits during the struggle with the 2-year-old syndrome. The child does not immediately learn the words “no” and “don’t”, that is, the first big limits. They want to test these limits over and over. It is important to be patient during this period. So why does the child constantly test the limits? Children do not learn immediately, and they forget what they have learned very quickly. Here, the caregiver and grandparents factor should not be forgotten. Something your parents say no to; If the caregiver or grandparents say yes, the child may become even more irritable. Therefore, everyone around the child should adopt the same discipline method and be in the same consistency.
2 Year Syndrome Is Not A Disease
2-year-old syndrome is not a disease, it is one of the normal stages in child development. Syndrome; means the totality of findings. 2 years old syndrome; It is a process with unique findings. However, it can become a very difficult period for parents as it is very troublesome. around 2 years old; It is a period when the child begins to dominate himself and his environment, and begins to form his own self. This period can be called a kind of “pre-adolescence”. Because, just like an adolescent, a 2-year-old is stubborn with his family, wants what he wants and tries to do everything himself.
Methods of Combating 2 Years Syndrome
It is difficult for parents to cope with their children; 2 years old is a difficult period when they do not know how to behave in the face of their stubbornness, snapping and even shouting and hitting. In this period, it is perfectly normal for even meeting ordinary daily needs to turn into a power struggle. Here are the ways to cope with the 2-year-old syndrome…
1. Release Your Energy
Know that your child, who goes from crawling to walking and discovers mobility with the increase in muscle strength, will want to move freely, run and jump in the next period. Do not limit the aggression brought by the age of 2 and the need for movement to throw away the energy accumulated in him, on the contrary, encourage him to be more active so that he can relax.
2. Don’t Block Your Child
While the feeling of frustration is a difficult feeling to cope with even for us adults who have all kinds of cognitive functions that can express themselves, it is a very difficult feeling to tolerate for a 2-year-old child who is not fully equipped to express his feelings and thoughts. Therefore, while being restrained and blocked will reinforce his anger, let him become free within a framework whose basic protection area is determined, as it will increase his behaviors that we define as “grumpy”.
3. Allow her to Express her Anger
Anger is an emotion that every individual feels from time to time throughout his life. It is important to be able to express anger in a healthy way. Avoid the thought of “child, what is this anger” and take care to allow space for him to explain what he is angry with as much as possible. Do not forget that your child does not have the vocabulary to express his feelings as he wants, do not force him to complete his words, let him explain as he wants.
4. Avoid Unrest
Remember that your child feels your emotion and is affected by it, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Avoid projecting your negative feelings and family unrest on your child.
5. Don’t Force Do Something
Since the most distinctive feature of this period is that your child does what he wants or does not want, he insists on this issue and wants to bring his individuality to the fore, so do not force him. At that time, not being persistent and trying again after a while will give positive results. It is very important here to explain your reasoning in a way you can understand. Forcing him to do something he doesn’t want to do will never produce good results. Not being insistent when you don’t want, eating, sleeping, giving medicine etc. It is necessary to try again after a while, explaining the reasons to the child and asking for his opinion.
6. Set Your Limits
It should not be forgotten that the 2-year-old syndrome period is the period when your child tries to prove his/her individuality, coming of age, and says “I am here too, I am an individual”. As important as it is to recognise space, it is equally important not to turn this space recognition into limitlessness. The method we leave to the child how to paint the inside of a certain frame with borders is the most effective way to cope with this period.
7. Be in Control During the 2-Year-Old Syndrome Period
Your child, who has just discovered life and is trying to prove that “I am an individual”, wants to take control by forgetting that he needs you for many things. Being conscious of the authority figure and feeling its presence are necessary for the healthy development of this period. Make your child feel that he can express himself however he wants, but that you have the authority and control.
8. Be Selective in Using the Word ‘No’
The most common mistakes are saying no to everything, saying yes to one parent saying no to the other, or saying no to something that was said yes once, the next time. Keep your “no”s clear and consistent as it will confuse the child and increase his tension. Each time, explain why you said “no” to the child in an attentive language.
9. Don’t Let Him Hurt Himself
Children who cannot express themselves comfortably during this period can hurt themselves with the feeling of being blocked. For this reason, it is necessary to prevent the child from harming himself, to enable him to express his anger in the game as much as words can, and to calm him down.
10. Take Time for Yourself, Too
Raising a child brings different challenges at every stage. From time to time, parents’ coping mechanisms may not be sufficient when difficulties in other dynamics of life come into play. Adequate parenting primarily requires one’s own well-being. If you feel good, you will observe the positive effect of this on your child. For this reason, in order to support your child with 2-year-old syndrome in a healthy way, take care to spare time for yourself, acquire good hobbies and activities, and do not forget to share the responsibility of the child.