| When you have a toddler, you are fully expecting the | | | | When you are dealing with oppositional defiant children, |
| "terrible two's". This is when a child first learns to say | | | | you are dealing with a completely different animal |
| "No!" and uses it all the time. These are not necessarily | | | | altogether. The "terrible two's" seem to last forever |
| oppositional defiant children, but they are children who | | | | and you find yourself arguing incessantly with your |
| are establishing their own wants and needs and testing | | | | child, well into their teen years. Everything that you say |
| your boundaries. They need to know what they can | | | | to them is wrong or stupid or mean, and they fight you |
| and cannot get away with, and they certainly put you | | | | every step of the way. |
| through the test every day. | | | | Oppositional defiant children are difficult on you and |
| By the time a child reaches school age, he or she | | | | your entire family, but the real trouble will come later on |
| usually knows how to behave in a socially acceptable | | | | when they take this behavior outside of the home into |
| fashion. They know who the authority figures are and | | | | school, the workplace, and out into public. |
| that they have to respect them. They know that they | | | | What is just angry and nasty behavior at home could |
| have to do what you say, whether they like it or not. | | | | easily be seen as threatening or even illegal behavior |
| Yes, they may put up a fight and have the occasional | | | | by the time they are teenagers, so it is in everyone's |
| meltdown, but for the most part, they follow your rules. | | | | best interest that they are dealt with early on. |