Funny (sort of) vent about my 3 year old’s day out at sea life.

Just want to share a funny vent about my 3 year old (he was 3 in October).

He is really going through the motions at the moment, with his feelings. He likes going out with myself and his sister (4), but if he isn’t getting everything his way whilst out, he is really uncooperative, confrontational and dismissive.

He causes myself and his sister a lot of stress out. We can’t even take him to a cafe any more, or if we go to the park, it has to be where we feed the ducks- my 4 year old is frightened of the ducks, so she doesn’t enjoy the activity, but she watches patiently as she knows her brother likes to feed them (especially the geese. He loves the geese surrounding him). When we’re finished and all out of food, and we do something that my daughter will prefer, my son goes berserk and takes a while to calm down.

His dad said it’s the same with him.

Anyway, I took my daughter to a fun fair one evening, without my son. Just felt the crowds would overstimulate him, as he seems to be overstimulated easily. Her dad took her to panto a few days later- we both agreed our son wouldn’t probably sit at the panto, so I took him to the sea life in Brum, as wanted to spend quality 1 on 1 with him. My ex wished me good luck 😅

I don’t drive and my ex broke the buggy, so I had to walk my 3 year old to the bus stop. Bus was 10 minutes late, and though he moaned and said, “come on bus”, he didn’t complain like I thought he would. Then we had to get the train to Brum, and it was packed! I had to hold him, and I’m very small, and the lad is heavy for me. A passenger found an empty part of the baggage rail, and we sat my son on there for the rest of the journey.

He was absolutely loving sitting in the bags. He was enjoying the attention from train passengers and just having a wonderful time serenading the carriage with old McDonald.

We got to Brum, went to sea life. That was packed out too! That boy walked round every part and watched attentively, telling people what fish he could see and asking questions to the staff (he has a huge love for sea creatures). Went to the gift shop: he wanted everything. I said he could have only one gift and he growled “okay then” and put down the items and picked one thing. I bought a story book and a sticker book too from there for both the kids.

I had to walk him from Brindley Place back into the city. He walked most of it, but I did have to carry him some of the way. He hardly complained. Chased some pigeons around too.

We got to the German market bit which was very busy. He knew he was out of his depth, so he grabbed my hand (he’d never just grab my hand, he usually hates me “restraining” him).

I said, “do you want to stay or shall we go?” Because I’m aware he gets a bit overwhelmed in crowds. Oh no, he wanted to stay, he was loving it.

He said then, “I’m hungry” so I saw Bella italia and said, we’ll go in there. He wanted a sweet treat from the German market but I said, “no let’s get real food first and then I will come back and get you a sweet treat once you’ve eaten some food”. He usually will meltdown at me saying no to a sweet treat, but he accepted this quite well, especially as I had suggested we could have ice cream after our meal instead.

I was worried about being in the restaurant. Usually my son, no matter how much distraction, leaves the table and runs round and bugs everyone, and cries and cries if I get him to sit back down. I rarely take him out to eat now- this is a recent thing.

I got the sticker book and reading book out, and he did these with me, whilst we waited for food. He didn’t get up once. He didn’t act up. He wasn’t shouting. He was chit chatting to another preschooler on the other table and I read to them both. He got his icecream, and was loving life. So was I- the bill was low- I remembered it was because I only had one child with me, that it came to under £40 for 2 courses and 2 drinks.

I then carried him back to the train station to go home and he had a seat this time and he chatted to the ladies next to us, telling them all about the fish he saw.

He was absolutely golden. Honestly, he made me look like a good parent. Everyone was commending his behaviour…I was like, “he’s not usually like this?” He was a pleasure to spend time with, as usually I wake up worried what his moods are going to be like and worry how he’s going to be whilst we’re out.

We got home and he was helping me clean- which he never does. Then my ex brought his sister home. And my son slipped back into a tantrum. Throwing things, asking me for something and then refusing it and then asking me for something else and then throwing it. He was exasperating tbh. My daughter was trying to hug him and tell him it was okay.

She then played dinosaurs with him and he did calm down, but he wouldn’t talk to me the rest of the evening. Just kept telling me go away, I don’t like you!

My son has sort of shown me that he’s not as easily overstimulated or overwhelmed in busy environments as I thought. He can also act accordingly in public when he wants to. It’s when I’m parenting 2, he wants to make my life difficult!! 😂

Why are 3 years olds like this?! 😂