How do I stop 3yo DS going ON and ON and ON and ON

[carocaro]

We answer the question/query.

Tell him to be quiet.

Ignore him.

Leave the room.

Try and distract him.

We have just had to lock him in the garden. As he has just been asking for over 40 mins for the crocodile in the movie we are watching on Sky to score a goal.

This scenario is repeated all day long with various things.

He is driving me, DH and DS1 8 completely off our heads. My brain is numb. He will not stop.

HELP!

[LadyBuzz]

I'm sorry but IMHO you can't!
I have a 4yo exactly the same. I did read on here a few days ago that you should reverse the question so they can answer it. I have tried this a couple of times and it seems to work - not for long mind!

We are currently discussing plug in air fresheners!

I remember seeing a small child asking his dad questions when DS1 was tiny and he was ignoring him I was appalled and commented to DH that I would never do that - NOW I know he obviously had a child like mine

I am very interested to listen to any tips anyone else has though!

[inthesticks]

You wait for him to grow older.
Nothing stops it.
He is just being 4, not naughty.

[fandango75]

i don't think anyone is saying its naughty, just driving them nuts

[MmeLindt]

Have you really locked him in the garden?

You cannot stop him, some DC are chatty.

[lola0109]

I feel your pain, I have a 2 year old exactly like that, she will just say the same thing over and over and over and eventually after I have answered her for the millionth time and feel like sticking her in a cupboard she'll say either "i know" or "I don't think so".

Have I got years of this???

[LadyBuzz]

yes I think we all have

I've just left DS1 at school for his first day - its so quiet .

[wb]

Turning questions back on ds1, so he had to think and answer worked a treat. As soon as he became the one having to do the "work" he became much more selective about asking.

[Dinghy]

turning the question back is a good tactic

likewise 'the same as I said last time'



I was just reading in the DM about a class that banned hand raising,and instead had children write the answer on whiteboards and all held them up (stay with me!)- the idea being they would ALL have to work out the answer, not wait for the clever kids to shout out the answer first. A similar train of thought here i think - it's very easy to just answer quesstions but probably better for the child to point them in the direction of discovering the answer for themselves.

[bytheMoonlight]

dd, almost 3, asks the same question over and over and over and over ......... ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

I try asking her the question back, she just responds with 'what?', 'what?'.

I've tried answering in different ways, nothing works.

I am trying distraction at the moment.


I feel your pain.

[Dinghy]

Oh and carocaro, I think many of us will have switched the light off at dc's bedtime and thought nobody, JUST NOBODY, ask me one more fucking thing or I will not be responsible for the shrieking harpy unleashed. Don't ask how I am, if I want a cup of tea, what's for dinner, what shall we watch on tv, where that thing is, if so and so called, did I hear the news etc.

[Rafi]

I know this isn't what you want to hear (sorry) but dd (10) never stops talking either.

[carocaro]

Thanks all. He was locked in the garden, but we have massive french windows and we could see him at all times!!

I am nuts for asking the question in the first place, have DS1 aged 8 also and he talked to me for 2.5 hrs non stop in the car over the holidays!

[Pogleswood]

Yes,rafi - I was thinking the same thing about my DS(10).He was like this when he was 3,and he is still like it now!

It's like a non stop stream of conciousness!

[SandyChick]

I feel your pain

My 3 year old ds NEVER SHUTS UP.

I suppose it's good that he's so inquisitive etc but the constant questions and 'why' drives us insane.

I try to answer him the best I can etc. I don't ignore him and try to use distraction etc but sometimes there just isn't an answer or you answer then he still asks why to your answer

[MeelooMouloo]

DD is only 22 mths and constantly asks "where's Larry gone?"

Larry was a cartoon character she saw in an advert weeks ago (a lamb obviously)

Have started to tell her I made him into chops and ate him but she still asks.

Now telling her to ask Daddy instead :)

[JaynieB]

My DD was driving me potty with 'why, why'why' and I appealed to DP who 'helpfully' pointed out that this is how children learn about their world.
I try the asking her a question which (if I get it right) leads us into a different conversation!
So, try asking questions, distracting into new topics or if that fails do something really interesting/absorbing that keeps them busy for a little while while you get a bit of head space.

[lawson007]

we've got a very inquisitive 2 1/1 year old and he asks the same question over and over. best bit of advice we had (as mentioned above) - turn it around back to the child...

So DS1 asks the Q, we answer - repeat three times max, then when he asks a 4th time, we say - what do you think it is?

He answers!! result!!!

Good luck!x

[KickArseQueenOfTheDamned]

Congratulations :) You have a stream of conciousness child.

Its difficult isn't it!

[Unprune]

I get the numb brain too.
I find wine helps.

[lawson007]

sorry - that should say a 2 and a half year old!

[UnseenAcademicalMum]

DS1 (5) is the same. Always has been. I don't think there's anything that helps .

[ponto]

All 3 of my dds have done this and I think it is often about wanting attention rather than information - it doesn't seem to happen if I am actually playing with them, but when I am trying to do something else (watch TV, computer, talk to someone else). So the best way to stop the constant stream of questions is to stop what you are doing and go and play with him. But with 2 dcs you won't be able to do this all the time so will have to put up with a certain amount of relentless chatter.

I chatted constantly to dd1 when she was a baby, which I then blamed for her chattiness. With dd2 I was much less chatty and enjoyed the blessed silence before she could talk but it didn't make any difference to her eventual constant wittering!

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Oh boy we had one of these with 3yo DD today. Am not amused to hear we've got another 7 years of it! Mind you once she's a teenager she'll prob clam up and I'll wish I hadn't got so frustrated now. Maybe her brother will start talking more then once there's a brief gap in the airwaves?!