terrible twos; phase of toddler defiance
Colloquial term for the developmental stage around age two when toddlers frequently say いや (no) and resist parental instructions. Used mainly in parenting and childcare contexts.
Our child has also entered the terrible twos and now says 'no' to everything.
Many parents struggle with how to handle the terrible twos.
Hiragana variant, also seen in informal writing.
Kanji spelling using 嫌; less common and may look stiffer.
Alternate kanji spelling; very rare.
From いやいや (toddler's repeated 'no') + 期 (period). A modern colloquial coinage.