To worry we're raising an annoying child

[MolliciousIntent]

I'm sleep deprived, hormonal and a little insane and somehow I think the birth of DD2 has made me even more PFB about DD1.

She's 2.5, pretty bright and very chatty. She's a tiny parrot and repeats every phrase she hears me and her dad say. It's left her with an (adorable to me) repertoire of very grown-up soundbites which she uses in context. Half the time she talks normal toddler nonsense and the other half she speaks like a 35yr old English teacher.

People have started commenting on it, and I'm concerned it's making her look overly precocious. I used to get bullied at school for stuff like this (looking back I was definitely insufferable) and I'm concerned about history repeating itself with my baby.

How do I handle this? My husband thinks it's a non-issue and I need a G&T and a good night's sleep.

My 5 year old would tell her peers their behaviour was 'inappropriate' if they were rude or shouted! She also copied lots of adult speak because that's how they learn. I can't imagine anyone thinking a preschooler was annoying for having a good vocabulary or parroting their parents (unless they find the parents annoying )so I wouldn't worry!

She sounds like a pip. Enjoy your G&T.

Sounds funny and cute. It's sweet when they copy they sort of things you say to them.

In my line of work I get to hear little ones repeat learned phrases 'oh mummy is a fat tart', ' daddy is a lazy c*' out of the mouth of a 3 year old.... so I don't think you have anything to worry about!

Wait til you get to the question stage rather than parrot.... remember by DD aged 4 at a swimming pool 'mummy why does that lady have a wobbly fat bottom'...... oh the shame!

She sounds lovely and you should be proof that she’s picked up kind encouraging things from you! Have a G&T! 😀

• proud

Haha!! Toddler DD saw DH in a suit the other day (unusual since Covid and wfh), touched the tie and said ‘you look beautiful daddy’ 😂 😂 PMSL

Seriously kids are supposed to mimic adults, it’s often hilarious

Cute! Definitely cute!

I remember my DD coming out of Reception class to find me chatting to a Mum who wasn’t usually at pick up. She waited until we were halfway across the playground and whispered “you made a new friend Mummy, well done”.

I don't have DC myself but I absolutely love when little ones come out with things like that!

There's a wee boy who lives round the corner from us, he's 4, and he loves a chat (so do I!). However ... I was obviously boring him today because he cut me off in mid-conversation by saying "Anyway, mustn't keep you" and he walked off 😂.

Last week he spoke to me when I came back from the dentist, he put his hand on mine and said "Well done, brave girl". (I'm nearly 60!). Absolutely adorable, he just makes my day.

Oh and she also said to me ‘just be careful, poppet’ when we were walking down the stairs

Congratulations on DD2!

Don’t worry about DD1 - she’s 2.5!! And it’s great that she’s so articulate. My 3 year old DS was very advanced with speaking, and talks like a grown up almost, but we’re just grateful for having one less thing to worry about.

If he shows signs of being a bit OTT or a know it all when he’s older we’ll - gently and subtlety, hopefully without damaging his desire to learn- encourage him to let others take turns to speak and share.

The thing I’ve learned is that you can’t control your DC’s outcomes. You can try and help, and guide, but that’s all you can do. Relax- it’ll all be fine.

OP, if it helps, when I was about 2.5 my father was in hospital, and my mum and I were visiting. As we sat there the nurse came by on her rounds to take his temperature.

My mum had rigidly drummed into me you shouldn't put things in your mouth. We didn't own a thermometer and I don't think I'd ever seen one before. You can see where this is going can't you...

Apparently I stood up and said 'take that DIRTY thing out of my daddy's mouth right now, he's not well'

My parents had to apologise (whilst trying not to laugh) to the nurse who was massively offended, whilst also trying to pacify an irate 2 year old who was insistent that the thermometer was dirty and harmful. It didn't help I was very tall for my age and spoke very clearly, so the nurse assumed I was older than I was and just incredibly rude.

I'd like to say I got less of a pain in the arse as I got older but I think people who know me would say not

Except OP isn’t doing that!

When dd was 2.5 she had an accident that required a maxillofacial consultant to review her. In the consult DD yabbered at the poor man, have him a full history with added embellishments... She was speaking in fairly clear sentences and using very adultish language (at 18 months she declared 'no more nappies'!). The consultant declared that I was going to have my hands full and wished me good luck.
She is now in secondary school and perfectly normal and indistinguishable from her peers. We focused on social and emotional skills a lot as we didn't really need to think about the academics....

Loads of kids are like this. It's smart and all about power, in a nice way. You are an adult with authority because what you say goes. It's frustrating to be a tiny child having to do what you're told all the time. In the back of her head, she thinks: if only I can learn to impose myself like a grown up, I'll be the one making the rules.

I think you need to relax a bit. You might be in the long haul with this, once the sibling is old enough to be told off, the oldest loves sticking their oar in every ten minutes :)

She sounds adorable - and how lovely she is picking up on the positive comments she hears and repeats (rather than swearing or telling offs)!

Sounds like normal 2 year old behaviour. My son is exactly the same. This morning I got a hearty well done mama, good job, high fives for doing my wees in the toilet. It not patronising hes just mimicking what we say to him ( currently potty taining).

Toddlers do weird things but like others said it's not in any way patronising or malicious there just mimicking and often in a very funny way.

It's adorable when young children parrot what they hear. When asked if he wanted the red cup or the blue cup, 2-year-old said, "Honestly, I have no idea." Accompanied by a deep, world-weary sigh.

It also sounds as though people are charmed by your DD, not criticising her. The comment about asking for the manager strikes me as intended to be funny.

A friend of mine had a dd like this, and she would copy a lot of what her parents said. So much so, that when they went to the pub on sunny weekend afternoons, they had to start calling it 'the library' instead of 'the pub' because otherwise there'd be a repeat of the time she told everyone at nursery that daddy took her to the pub all the time. 😂

I bet your little girl can brighten any room by just walking into it😁

All toddlers are annoying OP

why wouldn’t they be? They are self-centred and egocentric as per their developmental stage….I’ve not met one that wants annoying!

She sounds adorable!

I love this!

She sounds so cute.

My dd once said 'I'm pulling my bloody pants up!' When we asked if she was finished in the toilet so it could be worse 🙈

I love hearing the little ones who have great speech.

My ds had delayed speech and still has poor communication (although he speaks fluently) as he's autistic.

Being able to talk well isn't annoying. They only time it can become wearing is if they don't know when to allow others to speak or when it's best to be quiet.

But she's 2!! She'll learn that when it's age appropriate to understand it!

In the meantime enjoy your chats and enjoy building that bond.