Trying Threes

They don't call 'em the 'Trying Threes' for nothin'!

Hiya, Big People! 

You know, as part of my job as a Little Kid Ambassador to the World of the Big People, it's my responsibility not only to make a good impression on Big People on behalf of my people, the Little Kids, but I also hafta listen to where you Big People are coming from and help you understand why us Little Kids act the way we do in certain situations. 

In short, I need to strive to ensure that Big People and Little Kids understand each other. 

So today, I'd like to discuss with you the Trying Threes, which are a sequel to the Terrible Twos.  As you may know, I am a couple months in to the Trying Threes myself.  So I think if you have anyone to tell you about this phase of life from a vantage point of One Who's There, I'm as good as anyone you're going to find, Friends.  I'll give it to ya straight.

Now, I understand that the Threes are trying for you Big People to experience.  To you, it looks like us three-year-olds just flip out over nothing at all.  We fly into a tearful rage if we don't get to hold onto the receipt from the gas station.  We burst into histrionics if we drop a crayon in the restaurant.  And if we get sick of riding in the car, we kick and kick and kick the backka your seat.  I understand that those behaviors are bewildering and infuriating to a Big Person.

But lemme letchya in on a little secret, Friends: it's no picnic for us Little Kids, either. 

Imagine things from our perspective, Big People.  When you're three, you can do a buncha things yourself- for instance, this three year-old can write on chalkboards and marker-boards, can draw and paint, I can string beads.  I can speak clearly and follow multi-step instructions.  I can tell ya when I'm hungry, and I know what I like to eat, and what I don't like to eat.  But.  I'm not tall enough to reach the sink.  I can't work the water faucet myself.  I'm too short.  I'm not old enough to use the stove or microwave oven myself.  I'm too little to ride in the front seat on road trips.  That's frusterating.

And Little Kids like me flip out when we don't get to hold the receipt from the gas station, or if you let us hold the receipt and we lose it, because to us, things like receipts are artifacts from the glorious and wondrous World of the Big People.  They're just mundane scraps to you Big People, but to us Little Kids, they're treasures.  They represent getting to hold onto something from your world.  When we don't get to hold onto them, or we lose them, we cry, because they're our treasures.

And sometimes we cry, just because we don't know what else to do, Big People.  Babies cry over everything.  I remember when I was a baby, I cried when I was hungry, when I was mad, when I was tired, when I was over-tired, when I was wet, when I didn't wanna go to sleep, when I was too warm, when I was too cold, when I was wearing socks I didn't like (and I hated ALL socks, Friends!)... you get the picture, Friends.  Well, Little Kids cry a lot, too, because even though we have words to use, we sometimes forget how, in the heat of the moment, and those words melt in our minds and come out like lava when we cry.  That's all there is to it, Friends.

I know some Big People who have the same thing happen to 'em, Friends.  And when it does happen to Big People, they appreciate some patience.  That's all we Little Kids ask for in those situations, too, Friends.

It's trying for all of us to be Three, Friends.  The Threes are definitely a trying time.  You bet.  You can also bet that I love the heck right outta ya.  And I'll see ya tomorrow, Friends!  Muah!