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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Niece upset, didn’t know what to do

9 replies

TigeToo · 08/02/2023 20:39

Was looking after two year old niece today. My DD is also two.

They decided to play hide and seek but neither have grasped the hiding part yet, they both hide in the same place every time. DD hides behind the kitchen door and Niece kept hiding in the toilet.

Despite this, Niece was unable to find DD on every attempt.

Niece ended up in tears and was still crying when DSis came to pick her up. I said she was crying as she kept losing at hide and seek, sis seemed put out and asked why I didn’t help her. I did! After the first few times I kept telling her to look behind the kitchen door but she just kept getting frustrated and upset.

How could I have handled this better??

OP posts:
SnarkyBag · 08/02/2023 20:41

They’re two it sounds about right and you didn’t need to handle it any better. This all part of learning and growing!

IScreamAtMichaelangelos · 08/02/2023 20:42

You need to take her by the hand and lead her to your DD, all the while narrating what you're doing. Then do it again and again until she runs for the hiding place herself Grin

itsgettingweird · 08/02/2023 20:43

You can't!!!

2yo often do t follow simple instructions and advice and then get upset that they can't do what the instruction is helping them do.

They aren't exactly recognised for their reasonableness at this age 🤣🤣

BatshitBanshee · 08/02/2023 20:44

"I did help her DSis, maybe we can all try again next time anyway!"

They're two, it's not that big of a deal. I'd take her by the hand and show her DD but tbh the frustration and upset and her mummy not being there maybe just added to everything. This doesn't need to be blown up and DSis needs to remember that.

Timeforabiscuit · 08/02/2023 20:44

Yup, that's two year old all right! They didn't really get hide and seek until 3/4 - but maybe next time do games or messy play where they can parallel play rather than compete.

Original poster
TigeToo · 08/02/2023 20:46

Thanks everyone, you have reassured me that I wasn’t being cruel to her 😂 I’ve felt guilty all evening!

OP posts:
Stopthebusplease · 08/02/2023 20:46

Do you actually join in with the game OP? When we used to play this with the grandkids, we always used to do the looking, while they went off and hid. We'd then say out loud things like, I wonder if that's 'X' hiding under the bed clothes, and then when they weren't there, I wonder if that's 'X' hiding behind the chair in the corner, etc. That way they get the idea of actually looking, when it's their turn, and of course they loved it and shrieked with laughter when we found them. I'm not sure that 2 two year olds are really ready for this game on their own though.

CatSpeakForDummies · 08/02/2023 20:52

You need to join in, they don't understand unless you show them at this age. So "where is DD, is she under the table, maybe she's in this tiny box... what, that's not silly... let's look under the table... what do you mean we've looked there..." until you get a giggle that niece hears. Then you have to hide and do comedy loud sneezes and stage whispers about how they'll never find you.

Or you can wait until they are a bit older Grin

Original poster
TigeToo · 08/02/2023 20:52

Stopthebusplease · 08/02/2023 20:46

Do you actually join in with the game OP? When we used to play this with the grandkids, we always used to do the looking, while they went off and hid. We'd then say out loud things like, I wonder if that's 'X' hiding under the bed clothes, and then when they weren't there, I wonder if that's 'X' hiding behind the chair in the corner, etc. That way they get the idea of actually looking, when it's their turn, and of course they loved it and shrieked with laughter when we found them. I'm not sure that 2 two year olds are really ready for this game on their own though.

I’m hindsight I should have got them both to hide whilst I went to find them. It’s just that when I play with DD on her own we take it in turns and she does look for me herself so I suppose I took it for granted that they’d both do this. Plus I suppose it doesn’t help that niece doesn’t know our house very well

OP posts:
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