DD 4 and a half constantly repeating her desires on holiday

[napkinbear]

It's just constant. From the moment she wakes up it's ' I want to go to the pool ' the moment we hey outside, it's I'm hot or 'I want to buy goggles'.

We've been up for 30 minutes and she's already asked to go to the pool 100 times maybe.

She has other stuff she can do, toys, iPad, drawing stuff, TV. But she just repeats and repeats and repeats what she wants and I keep explaining, we are getting ready now, having breakfast and we will go after that etc. but she just won't asking every 30 seconds.

Eventually I snap sometimes and it feels mean. She still continues to ask though anyway, after maybe a 5 minute break. It's annoying.

What can be done ? Is this just normal for her age ?

She's a water baby and excited, I'm still the same at 36 😆

God everyone is very relaxed around a child being demanding. I have four kids so the annoying one would be told to stop it and that every time they asked it would add on another 10 minutes. I don't tolerate whining.
My kids are now teens and obviously it's impossible to get them out of bed so it's me and DH waiting around!

Kid: I want to be active

Parent: can't you just play on your iPad?

Kid: I want to be active

Parent: play with a doll or something. Or do some drawing. Why can't you just sit down and look at a screen or something?

It's not exactly screaming a healthy lifestyle.

Oo that sounds a bit mean! And also might just extend the annoying behaviour 😬

Jesus is getting a child to stop moaning being a killjoy? Really? Yes it's exciting but what about when she wants another ice-cream, or coke, or go the beach, or go on her iPad or a new toy or ....
Do you just give in to it all?

When my DC went through this phase I found it helped me to remember that it is completely developmentally normal. They're just doing what (for some reason!) their brains are telling them to do.

Are you expecting her to lie in etc because you want to relax a bit on holiday?

Give up on that notion pronto. Be prepared to get up every day as if you would at home, you won't get any lazy holiday breakfasts at 10am.

Show her where the hands will be on the clock when the pool opens.

My dd is younger but i just agree and say
"Oooh yes the pool is nice. You are such a good swimmer... lets get breakfast quickly and then we can go swim!"

I want to swim!

Yes i want to swim too after breakfast lets eat breakfast.

I want to swim

<playfully> me toooooo! Lets eat! What do you want?

It keeps the mood light, she knows shes heard and her need WILL get met and no one is telling anyone off and there are no tears and tantrums

It's not just being active, it's always talking about buying googles, being hot etc.
1 person dictating the day is not great.

Oh and if she is actually pestering (eg you've offered to go at a reasonable time and given some ways for her to understand that), then tell her off/impose consequences for nagging. Ive done 5 min delays before - every time you ask i push it back 5 minutes. Once DS pestered so much we simply didn't go because i kept pushing back 5 mins. It worked very, very well.

The pool will be freezing first thing. You could pop down first before breakfast. That may thwart tomorrows early morning keenness !

She wants to play in the pool like an excited, active 4 year old, and you're going on about an iPad.

It's not just being active, it's always talking about buying googles, being hot etc.
1 person dictating the day is not great.

Children do this when they are bored. The choices she's being offered to play are sedentary, inactive things. She is ready to be up and about.

Jesus Christ! She's four and on holiday and you'd rather have her on screens than in the pool?

Its the broken record technique that children use to get what they want. Its a program 3.2-5 and was developed around 1947, its had slight variations but always comes back to the repeat repeat repeat method of trying to obtain satisfaction.

Set boundaries, keep setting boundaries that are clear and understandable.

We will go to the pool at x time after we have done (and only say three things)
Use the same program
We will go to the pool at x time after we have done x y and z
by repeating it it stays the same, the message eventually gets through and then you get to the pool so they do get there.

As for wanting to buy things - I used to give money for holidays and split down to a daily amount. So if the daily amount was £3 and the googles are £6 then you'll need to not spend any money today and tomorrow you can have the googles. 4.5 is young to be doing this but it could be managed. It also gives them independence as to what they buy and they have delayed gratification from waiting.

remember you are the manager of these programs and need to manage in different ways at different times

Toys, ipad and drawing stuff is boring for kids though when they are on holiday and could be doing new things.
Asking about the pool after half an hour doesn’t seem that crazy.
Surely you just explain you’re all getting ready, going for breakfast and then going to the pool? She’s just excited.

That's a bit of a stretch do you jump to it when your 4 year old want want wants !

I'd play hide & seek with her swimming stuff and use it to get ready.

So it's you want to go swimming, you need your swimming bag ... your towel... cosy ... goggles.... snacks....
That should keep her occupied for a little bit.

Try helping her name her feelings, 'are you excited about swimming today?' and giving her jobs, 'I need someone to help me carry this bag'.

That used to help in these situations with DD.

She sounds like me on the first day of my holiday!

This. Visual timetables are so useful for this age.

We always went self catering so husband would watch them in the pool at stupid O'clock while I had a bit of peace. Funnily enough my son now watches them while my DIL does the same. 😂

My seven year old still does this 😬😂

Get off MN and take her to the pool! You're on holiday

Ah, she's only 4 and the pool is such a novelty. I think it's quite normal and really very sweet. The novelty will wear off before too long! My kids were like this on holiday and then they got older and refused to leave the room at all, preferring to watch foreign tell, which is even more annoying!