To expect my 5 year old to actually listen?

[comradelouise]

Genuine question as halfway through the school holidays I'm so tired of having the same argument over and over that I've lost all sense of whether my expectations are unrealistic.

Basically I would say that around 50% of the time I or my partner speak to DD we get no response and have to repeat, typically more than once. This is combined with a fair bit of interrupting and also some shouting when one of us is talking.

I'm assuming she's worse than a typical 5yr old as her reception teacher commented on it, but not so bad that they thought any action needed to be taken.

I'm trying to politely remind her you should listen when others are talking but the sheer groundhogdayness of it all is making me short tempered.

Anyone with a similar child got any tips? Do I just need to grit my teeth till she's older?

Have you had her hearing checked?

Are you actually getting her attention before you talk, or are you just speaking at her?

Ears?

I don't think it's hearing, as usually I'm standing right next to her, and she can hear fine once I've got her attention

I do usually try to say her name and get her attention first. But that's a fair point that sometimes I probably am just launching into something and expecting her to be already "with me"

I'd get her hearing checked just to be sure. My DS taught himself to lip read at 5 as he had glue ear, so she could be doing the same. Hearing muffled words and then figuring it out properly from the way your mouth moves.