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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Should I be concerned about my 3 year old son?

5 replies

Burntorangeberet · 11/11/2021 09:14

He’s just turned 3 and he’s been obsessed with letters and numbers for a while, but mostly letters.
He loves the TV programme on CBeebies Alphablocks.
He picked up a magazine yesterday which said ‘Merry and Bright’ on the front. He said “that says Merry and” I couldn’t quite believe it.
He writes his name perfectly too.

He won’t play with cars, trains or anything imaginary, I try to encourage him to play with the Lego or his brio track, he’ll do it for a couple of mins, then go back to making words out of his wooden letters and writing on his magna doodle.

His favourite book at bedtime at the moment is a book my parents bought as a bit of a ‘laugh’ as my partner is a physics teacher. It’s ABC of physics for babies and kids.
He wants it read to him before bed every night and during the daytime too now.
We try and read other books in- between like normal story books too.
This morning he was drawing on his magna doodle/etch a sketch thing and I said “what are you drawing?” He said “that’s quantum theory” then later he says “I’m writing Photon” I looked and he’d spelt it correctly. Then he wanted to draw Isaac Newton.
It’s quite funny in a way, but I’m a little bit worried. Is this normal behaviour for a just turned 3 year old? Other kids his age are playing with paw patrol toys, watching coco melon or whatever it’s called (to be fair we never watched that in our house). But he does like Hey Duggee.

He’s very sociable and plays with other children, likes running around the playground, going on the slide etc and that kind of thing.
But there’s something bothering me about how he is…I don’t know who I should talk to.

My DP doesn’t think there’s an issue, he just says he’s going to be clever. (My DP has a maths and physics brain and is a physics teacher, he was always brainy).
But I think it’s the lack of imaginative play that’s concerning me, I’ve worked in EYFS many years so I know that’s a big of a red flag, but it’s hard to work out when it’s your own child.

His speech is really good and everyone comments on it when we’re out and about, thinking he’s more of a four year old. Doesn’t help that he’s quite tall too!

He’s not potty trained yet though…go figure!

OP posts:
Burntorangeberet · 11/11/2021 10:50

Anyone Sad

OP posts:
RioEve · 11/11/2021 10:59

I don’t think the photon, Isaac Newton stuff sounds unusual (as he’s being read a book about that stuff so it makes sense iykwim) it just sounds like he’s quite bright and interesting in words and letters. I would think if he doesn’t seem to show any sensory, behavioural or social difficulties it doesn’t sound like autism

DeepaBeesKit · 11/11/2021 11:00

I think it's common for kids this age to develop fascinations/obsessions, and they are obviously linked to what they are exposed to (hard to get obsessed with letters if you live in a home with no books, aren't given wooden letters etc, hard to get obsessed with dinosaurs if you arent aware they exist).

I wouldn't over think it, just encourage him to experience a wide range of play, and devote as much focus to self care development (toileting etc) as the other stuff.

MammaBear18 · 11/11/2021 11:00

I really wouldn't worry. Look into Montessori and following the child. If that's his interest now, build on it and expand it. Children learn so much better when they are genuinely interested in the topic.

Perhaps you can look into some imaginative play that features words or letters? There's a game that my son likes to play which is about pretending to go to the shop and I'd say I'm going to get something starting with letter 'o' and he will pick orange etc.

Any reason why you haven't potty trained?

DeepaBeesKit · 11/11/2021 11:01

Also at 3 some children haven't got into role play etc. Mine didnt do it much then, he was obsessed with puzzles, number games and numberblocks. He then got really into at 4 and now isnt so bothered with puzzles

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