Hi, im a bit concerned about my sons behaviour ...

[kittylette]

im not sure if its normal,

hes a fantastic lad, really clever - is 2.3, talking in full convosations, was walking at 10 months, ect

but he has these weird little things

like he hates dirt, paint, messy food ect - if we paint i have to sit next to him with baby wipes and he says every few minutes, clean me... clean me... ect

we cant play with playdough, he completely freaked when he touched it - he didnt like the feel of it, the way it broke apart ... he didnt like it being apart but didnt want it together! he didnt want me to put it away but was screaming at it. sobbing.

he doesnt like change

if somethings been smewhere for a while if its moved he will cry and put it back,

i just took the armchair out side as a new one is coming and hes cried for the last 30 minutes because the room is different

should i be concerned??

hes a very happy, chatty, clever boy, he just has these things going on!

[rosie76]

Sounds like my little one a bit, he's same age. Is obsessed with his pants being on properly, and his puzzles arranged correctly, and other weird stuff. He likes some mess though, but I think he likes cleaning it up, he squirted hair gell all over his shoes this morning.

[Rantum]

My Ds is roughly the same age (2.2 mths)- he is actually a late talker, but was also an early walker (10 months). Ds can be funny about SOME things being out of place -some of the stuff that bothers him seems fairly random to me, actually, he sometimes lines up his pens in a particular order and gets cross if you move them etc. I really don't worry too much because I think he is just at the age where he is experimenting with the world and trying to make sense of it. I am not a psychologist but it sounds like your ds is possibly just experimenting with the boundaries of control and seeing what he can and cannot control in his life?

[RedTartanLass]

From reading threads on mumsnet it appears quite common at that age. My DS2 hated absolutely hated getting his hands dirty at that age. He's 3 now and I can assure you he's nothing like that now DD is now starting to have the same trait, I have to wipe her hands after every mouthful of food. This from the girl who used to scream to high heaven if the face clothe appeared anywhere near her!!

[Rantum]

Yeah I agree TartanLass, I think it is a trait alot of 2-3 year olds develop - with mine the "must be clean" thing goes in totally random cycles; one week he is up to his ears in dirt, the next week if a tiny bit of pen gets on his hands you would think the world had ended.

[Caththerese1973]

Wouldn't worry a bit. Sounds like a very clever (possibly TOO clever for your convenience) little boy. He'll get past the fussiness. My dd, now 4, was intensely fussy between 2 and 3. Now, she goes and washes her hands herself without being told to if she feels sticky or dirty from playing. But when they're under 4....they don't have that kind of initiative, so they grizzle when they're dirty. Don't worry!

[Caththerese1973]

PS the playdough tantrums.....
you're in tantrum hell right now. In 12 months he'll settle. I know it's a cliche but the the 'terrible 2s (and 3s) is a genuine phase that all kids go through, some are more intense and some are more mellow. But all kids 2-3 will tantrum at least once a day, in my experience.