Here is my advice for surviving the terrible threes:
Suffer through it! Most likely, it will not last long,, perhaps not even a whole year, and there is hope on the other side.
Be consistent - This is not the time to give in to the child’s outbursts. This is the time to consistently follow through with prescribed discipline.
Keep loving - As much as your child tries your patience, continue to always exhibit love to your child, even during discipline.
Experiment – Use different discipline methods until you find one that works for this stage of the child’s life.
Remember you are the adult – Sometimes when the child is showing his or her worse side it is tempting to show yours. Keep your cool. Be mature. Handle these days firmly, but calmly. Remember you are modeling behavior for your child.
Teach your child – This phase can be a great opportunity to teach your child how to respond to disappointment and frustration.
Don’t be afraid to share your situation with others. Often parents are embarrassed because of their children’s behavior during this stage of life so they hide the struggle; not realizing that so many other parents experience the same with their children. The biggest surprise at this stage of your child’s life may be when you discover you are not unique in this struggle.
By the way, these work in most other phases of a child’s life also.
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