A conversation with my three year old :
Him: “Mummy.”
Me: “Yep.”
Him:” Mummy.”(slightly louder and whinier)
Me: “Yes.”
Him: “Mummy.”(even louder with added whinge)
Me: (already losing my patience somewhat) “Yes for goodness sake tell me.”
Him: “um when it’s wet I have to …. Mummy.”(to attract my attention because I am rudely trying to fold laundry as well as listen)
Me: “Yes, I’m listening.”
Him: “Cos when it’s wet I have to wear my raincoat, when it’s dry.. Mummy when it’s wet… Mummy.”
Me: (already fairly confident of where this conversation is going and starting to lose the will to care) “I’m listening Robo Boy, think about what you want to say and tell me.”
Him: “Mummy when it’s wet I have to wear my raincoat, when it’s dry I have to .. um… I have to … um Mummy.”
Me: (desperate to finish his sentence for him and move on) “Robo Boy think about what you want to say and slowly tell me, all the way to the end.”
Him: “Mummy, um, when it’s wet I wear my raincoat, when it’s dry I have to.. um… I don’t have to.. um…. Mummy… I don’t have to wear my raincoat. When it’s wet I have to wear my raincoat, when it’s dry I don’t have to wear my raincoat.” (satisfied smile)
Me: (singing hallelujah in my head) “Thats right Robo Boy, thank you for telling me.”
or on a bad day
Me:” Yes, fascinating Robo Boy, now can I go to the toilet.”
Seriously this is driving me utterly bonkers. I have this kind of conversation with him upwards of ten times a day about one thing or another. I really can’t take much more of it. It makes me impatient, frustrated and just plain shouty. It makes me wish my brain came with an off switch.
So please tell me dear readers, how do you cope with this delightful preschooler trait ? I really need some advice because otherwise I will spend the next few years going slowly round the bend.
I’ve been through this five times over with my lot. The best way to deal with it is to train his brain and mouth to get in sync. Make it a game…you say something and he has to finish it. So, ‘I went to the park one day and…’ then he can say anything as silly as he wants ‘I saw a monkey on the swings’. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense, it’s just a fun way of helping them improve their thought processes and, more often than not, you’ll end up with some very funny sentences.
A word of warning…when they hit their teens, it’s even worse..’Mum, could I….’ and then they’re distracted and you either NEVER get the end of the sentence or you get a ‘Never mind…’ 😀
great advice and a fun game for us to play, thanks.
I really enjoyed reading that! Im sure the last thing you want is others getting pleasure from something that’s driving you up the wall but what I specifically enjoyed is the simplicity of 3 year old thought and the lovely way you have of encouraging your children to finish their own sentances. I wouldn’t want to change a thing as your methods are superb but, as you’re asking, I suggest helping Robo Boy with the part of the sentance that he’s struggling with.
Robo Boy : Mummy
You: Yes Robo Boy what is it?
Robo Boy: Mummy
You: Yes Robo Boy I’d love to hear what you want to say! What do you want to say?
Robo Boy: Mummy when it’s raining I have to wear my raincoat but um um when its um Mummy”
You: Okay yes when it’s raining you have to wear your raincoat (acknowledging what he’s said so that you can put it behind you and move on to the next part of his thought) and when it’s dry what happens?
Robo Boy; When its dry I don’t have to wear my raincoat.
I’m not sure if this will help but I hope it can at least cut things short for you a little!
Keep up the fab mothering and let me know when you have a Monday free for some sushi xxx
Yes thanks Pam thats top advice (as always) I shall try it out next time (which I’m sure will be in the next half an hour) and let you know how I get on. Pretty busy currently with a (hush hush) new business venture. However an evening trip out to the cinema could be in order ?
Oh, but he is spectacularly cute!
Thanks, we think so.
It is frustrating, Jake is doing it now aged 5 he has a speech delay and every word had to be taught in syllables, then joined. Working on pl together for the word play for example and a whole host of others, it is mind bending work. As Jake stutters a bit when he talks like this and that’s the very last thing I want him doing on top of the rest I find stopping what I am doing, getting down to his level if possible, really listening holding his hands, I don’t know why but having my focus really speeds him up, maybe they are thinking of their words but also is she with me? And then a yeah! And a hug 🙂
Sounds like you have had to really work on this problem.I think part of Robo Boy’s problem is frustration at getting us to understand. Thanks for the tips.
My coping strategy is to go slowly round the bend!
I hear you.
You’ve made me simultaneously anticipate and dread Moo’s forthcoming conversational topics. Here’s hoping she’ll impart anything important via the medium of a memo.
Or you could teach her to email and buy her a smart phone, or learn to receive subliminal messages ?
Mine are well past pre-school age and this is still happening on a regular basis. Get used to it lol.
No, don’t tell me that, my brain will explode !
I agree with Scottish Mum, it goes on for years. Although as they get older they seem to deal better with me saying ‘please stop talking or my head will explode’.