When dealing with behaviors that are making me doubt everything and every parenting decision I've ever made, I usually turn to The Gessell Institute of Human Development - they put out the _Your 1/2/3/4 Year Old_ series of books. Their key words for 4 year olds (male and female) are "out of bounds". In all ways - (paraphrasing here) motorwise; hitting, kicking, throwing things, emotionally: loud silly laughter alternating with fits of rage - language is almost guaranteed to shock, defiance (especially with parents), swaggering, swearing, boasting and lying, etc. yippee.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2006-10-21 12:39 am (UTC)