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'Threenagers' Said To Be Worse Than 'Terrible Twos'

By Abbie Kraft | Update Date: Jan 30, 2017 08:43 PM EST

Two-year-old toddlers are often tagged as the ones who are difficult to deal with and assertive. According to studies, however, three-year-olds are much worse that the terrible twos as they are tagged as "threenagers" with the way they deal with things.

Two-year-olds are already known as the terrible twos, but it was recently revealed that having a three-year-old can be much worse. The "threenagers" are said to be worse as by the time a toddler reaches three, their temperamental tantrums are similar to teenagers, as reported by Daily Mail.

"Two-year-olds get a bad wrap but once you get a threenager, they come with attitude,' Australian parenting expert, Pinky McKay, told MailOnline. "When kids hit three, their language develops in leaps and bounds. No longer are they just saying no; now they're negotiating like tiny lawyers."

Three-year-olds have their way in getting what they want, and they'd always make it a point to voice out their opinions. The "threenagers" are said to be more assertive, and with a wider vocabulary, they get to fully express their selves.

One of the factors being pointed out as to why toddlers these days are good when it comes to negotiation is the fact that they're adapting the behavior of the characters they see on screen. Dr. Justin Coulson told The Courier-Mail that excessive screen time damages the child's capability to regulate their moods.

Dr. Coulson highlighted that letting threenagers spend most of their time in front of the screen negatively impacts their behavior. He also added that toddlers who spend too much screen time are more prone to temper tantrums and self-regulatory problems.

Threenagers may be too much to handle, but according to McKay, parents should take their arguments with three-year-olds personally. She also added that parents should not argue with their toddlers as it is important to make them understand who's in authority.

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