Toddler constantly correcting me

[Amiselfemployeed]

Hello, hoping some mumsnetters can help out.

DD has just turned 3, first and only child. She is going through a stage atm where she is constantly correcting / arguing with me. I cannot say anything without it being challenged. I could say the sky is blue and she will say no it's green. I pointed out some cows the other day whilst we were driving and she said no they're horses. She knows what they really are, she is just saying it to argue. It's constant, honestly every single thing I say to her she will challenge and it is so exhausting. I've tried talking to her when she does it but then it just becomes a pointless back and forth. I've tried ignoring it but she just repeats herself constantly until I acknowledge what she's said. Anyone else go through this?

@SliceOfCakeCupOfTea

I usually respond with even more nonsense

Look a the horses

They're cows!

But cows dont have wings?

They don't have any wings!

And cows are purple?

They aren't purple!

Ah I know, they must be ducks!

Honestly my DS cba with my bullshit to keep it going

I love this

Oh god I'd forgotten about this...

DTs went through a phase, one of them in particular who argued about everything. I went down the path of least resistance:

Me - lovely blue sky today

DT1 - its orange

Me - oh so it is!

Tended to stop her in her tracks until the next thing!

Yes my little boy did this so I would always say oh silly mummy the sky isn’t blue it’s too purple.

My son would then either say another incorrect colour or say blue.

We turned it into a game, play along I promise it will make it seem a bit more palatable

I’d go for silly replies or statements, point out the zebra in the field when you see a horse, or the flock of flamingos when you see some ducks. Try to introduce new vocabulary elements that she doesn’t yet know, eg collective nouns, to keep it interesting for her so she isn’t bored.

Have fun with it yourself, there are years of this ahead!

As others have said, just turn it into a silly game

Thanks everyone! It's nice to know I'm not alone in this haha

Yes my DD is nearly 4 and she's like this too sometimes. It is annoying hah. If it's something I think she doesn't understand I try to explain but if I'm not getting anywhere I will just say "ok love" and change the subject! If she's being deliberately contrary to test out my reaction I will usually either just change the subject straight away or will go along the 'making fun' route and say similarly ridiculous things. I've got to be honest though sometimes that just winds her up even more too so it's difficult to know what to do!

You are definitely not alone.

DD was unfailingly contrary at that age. At 5 she's not so bad but still goes through phases where she knows EVERYTHING and I am most definitely wrong!

I treated it as a joke, and told DS he was very funny and made me laugh.
Don't take it too seriously.
DS used to say he was a girl, every time I said "good boy" or similar. He knew he wasn't, and we enjoyed a good natured argument with laughing.

We tend to be just as silly back, my just turned 4 year old has caught on that it really annoys her dad when she doesn't pronounce a letter in words (so saying le'er instead of letter), so she does it purposefully, it's pretty funny.
But yeah, she can get quite angry if she says she is right and she's not actually so being silly back makes her laugh instead!

I used to do this back but just make it stupid. I'd rather it end in giggles than silence or upset.

So instead of saying 'no they're not cows, they're horses' say 'they're actually aliens' and just escalate until it's stupid (a 3 year old finds this funny anyway, it'll almost always end with the word bum or poo)

Some of them never grow out of it.

They're the ones who end up as lawyers.

I have 14 year old like this. It must be amazing to know absolutely everything about everything.

Just wait till she's a teen. It gets worse. my dd is exactly the same 10 years on.

@TheOriginalEmu

I have 14 year old like this. It must be amazing to know absolutely everything about everything.

Aaargh, the most annoying thing my parents ever did when I was that age was say, “Yeah, yeah – do it now while you still know everything”. Guaranteed to make steam come out of your 14yo’s ears, try it for the lol!

@TheOriginalEmu I had literally just come back to this thread to say I was chuckling thinking 'thank god mine have grown out of these sort of stages' then I remember the 'heated discussion' I had with my 14yo son last night, before I did the very grown up response of 'BECAUSE I AM THE PARENT AND NOT TO BE ARGUED WITH, OK? NOW LET ME GET A GLASS OF WINE.'

My 13 year old does this too. It's SO ANNOYING!

@Theunamedcat

Fueling confidence and imagination only go so far im a single parent sometimes I just need my kids to do as they are told right now no arguments

Yes this is from real life experience I said stop my kids stopped friends child chose not to because they are "super independent" and nearly got run over

What the heck are you bleating on about?

Play her at her own game but outsmart her:

You: look at those cows
Dd: they are horses
You: on second thoughts, I actually think they are...unicorns.

Or something like that. Have a laugh with her - she sounds quite clever and like she has a wry sense of humour. I'd have fun with it personally!

Definitely play along...

Look at the cows DD!
No, they're horses Mummy.
Oh yes! Silly me, horses go "bark bark"?

I reckon be silly back! 'Oh yes, lovely orange and purple horses! Look, they're baking a cake!' etc.

3 is the most hideous age. The good news is it doesn't last forever!

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea
Love it !!

Still going through it and DS is 14. My standard answer is "if you say so". I don't get drawn into an argument.

She sounds like my husband.

People talking about their adult children doing this reminds of a phrase I heard recently - manchecking - where as soon as you say anything they check whether you're right on their phone. Now that really pisses me off.