It sounds like such a normal thing right? Admitting your child can be naughty. Every child is naughty at some point.

I’m talking defiance and stubborn acts rather than full scale tantrums in the supermarket by the way.

How many times do I hear myself say..

She’s tired
She’s hungry
She’s feeling unwell
She’s had too much sugar
She’s bored
Shes overwhelmed…

The list goes on.

But maybe she’s just feeling a little naughty? Maybe she’s a three year old who is pushing her boundaries.

I have found myself accepting it more lately, trying not to make excuses for why my child is misbehaving. The excuses I make are usually to myself or Andrew because for the most part she’s really well behaved for others. Choosing to keep her utterly awful moods for when I myself am extremely tired and grouchy.

I kind of understand it to a degree.

Don’t we all have days where we just want to answer people with because I want to or to reject our food because it’s not the right colour? We don’t because we are adults and we have grown up to realise that life isn’t exactly how we want it all of the time. As a child that must be very difficult to comprehend. After all food is always there ( for most children whenever they want it ) they are clothed, have toys and money..hey they have loads of it. Their money box is positively brimming with pennies. Life is great, they can do what they want.. Or they can try.

They try to push us because that’s how they learn. We give in too easily then they continue to push. We fight too hard they become scared. Where is the middle ground?

I wish I had the answer. All I know is that every day she is trying to find her way in this world. To establish her footing in our family and all we can do is show her the way we would like her to behave. Show her kindness in our ways and love every day.

Another thing I’m actively trying to do is to stop saying in a minute ( or at least not so much ) because I read an article recently which hit home a little. How can I expect her to listen to me the first time I ask when so often I hear myself say just a minute or I’m busy..

I’m working on this. It’s a habit that’s not easy to change, especially when with two small children I do genuinely have points in the day when I don’t have time to answer endless questions but if stopping makes her realise her words are just as important as mine then it’s a change I want to make.

Often enough her little questions and chats are the moments which light up my day. Like yesterday when she told me that when I was born she remembered it and I was so cute..and today when she told me I was the best cook in the whole wide world.

Not all days are difficult. In fact some are positively rosy. Parenting a 3 year old is not easy and it’s a daily challenge but it can be truly marvellous too. They can definitely be charmers and terrors just days apart.

We just have to learn to ride through the stormy days.

My child is nice. She can also be naughty. I accept that.