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 ?

Teach her the clock, great time to learn the skill. The pool opens at 10 is a clear instruction, show her, draw a picture of 10 ... means she's learning too

This. At Christmas we had some presents in bed first thing but the rest had to wait until the adults had had breakfast, endless coffee, endless chatting, clearing up breakfast things, more flaming coffee then finally the actual presents. I'm 59 and I still remember the frustration. As a adult holiday breakfasts are part of the pleasure . When you're 5 you just want to neck a quick banana and get in the fabulous pool.

Ha ha yes me too. I lie in at home but on holiday I'm sat waiting for everyone to get up and get out. Hotel breakfast is my main motivation to get up, despite not eating breakfast at home I love a breakfast buffet! In hindsight I'm probably very annoying on holiday.

Your child is FOUR and you haven't yet trained your brain to make you say "I know! Well done! I can't wait either!" and all the other things, without you actually having to pay attention?!

Shame on you

I jest of course, it is irritating but I think I'd just grit my teeth and respond with "in a little while" or similar each time.

Or, if possible, direct her to daddy

My LO only two and we’re just realising we can’t tell her about something in the future, ie in morning that we’re going on payday in afternoon. Got her to choose her bed for her new big girl room…but it doesn’t arrive till August and she’s asking about it all the time now 🤦‍♀️lesson learnt

why on earth wouldn’t you just let her get in? Can she swim? We have a pool at home (not UK) and my kids are in it from morning til night from September - April, it’s a built-in babysitter .

I’ve tried to ban sentences starting with I am…….., I want……,,, I need…….., I feel……. In my house as it was all the bloody time. A constant stream of demands and requirements from my kids. I feel your pain.

Haha yes I remember learning that one a couple of years ago too.

Tell her if she doesn’t stop asking you won’t be going whatsoever. Give her three warnings. If she persists do something else instead or delay heading out even longer. She’ll quickly get the message!

Oh no she can't swim.

But presumably you wouldn't allow a four year old in the pool without adult supervision, regardless of swimming ability.

That's the point, it wasn't pool time because the grown-ups were busy doing other things. Once they were done, it was pool time.

How old are your kids though, are they not supervised?

You really are very silly. Are you sure you are old enough to post? 🙄

Exactly this! Since when did it become OK for a 4 year old to rule the roost? Dont leave it to the poor teacher in September to make her learn the world does not revolve around her whims!

Why not quickly wash and dress then take her down and spend the entire day in the pool?

That's the diamond memory for her on this holiday. All the other stuff she can do at home, but a POOL!!! 🤩

it's not about 'waiting' - I had young children and yes of course they spent time on screens in the morning often while we got ready!

BUT - I also sometimes if they were full of enegry got up with them! just pulled my clothes on and got out and about - down the playground sometimes at 8am on holiday!

What do you all think parents did in the - not at all distant past - before ipads? My 12 year old was a baby before all this stuff was normalised - and at the weekend I would often be in the playground very early.

It's not just about a pool =- its a kid excited on holiday and her mum is saying 'but you've got a new ipad app' - c'mon thats lame!

That was the plan though. Get up, get ready (not much getting ready to do in a villa with a pool right there), breakfast, pool. It just wasn't quite quick enough for an excited four year old, but nothing ever is!

TAKE HER TO THE DAMN POOL, WOMAN!
😂
But seriously, that's the best part of holiday when you are little. We have been lucky and always rented a villa, that way kids were in and out pretty much all day, since the moment we woke up.

That's not what her mum was saying at all. Her mum was saying "yes I know! We'll have such a lovely day at the pool, we can play all day. We just have a few things we need to do first - why don't you play with your dolls or the iPad while you wait for us to do these few things? Then we'll all be going swimming."

How about suggesting she draws a picture of the swimming pool or gets all her swimming stuff ready?

I'm with your dd! Of course she wants the pool. Get swim stuff on as soon as you wake up and throw a dress or something over it, quick breakfast then get to the pool. Later she'll have probably had enough and will be ready for an afternoon nap/ipad and colouring. She shouldn't rule the roost and has to learn that sometimes she won't get what she wants. However I think you have to see things from her POV as well. She's in a strange but exciting place full of new sights/sounds/smells. Of course she wants to experience this and familiarise herself with it

This.

Your child is only 4!!

How many small children were you around before you had your own kids? By your post, it doesn't sound like it was many.

Kids have no real autonomy. They can't just wake-up in the morning, think 'You know what, I think it'll be lovely to have breakfast now and go straight down to the pool', and then get there, be too hot and think 'Oh I think I need to get under the shade'. These are thoughts an adult would have, but unlike adults, everything that children do need to be pre-approved. Unlike adults, most experiences are totally new to her and so they don't want to wait to do normal, more boring stuff first. It doesn't mean they shouldn't or won't learn impulse, or you should give-in to it, but again....she's only 4!

She has other stuff she can do, toys, iPad, drawing stuff, TV. But she just repeats and repeats and repeats what she wants

She's on holiday. Course she wants to go in the pool

Why on Earth would she want to iPad /draw etx when a pool in play /jump /swim in

I was obsessed with the pool and sea on holiday when I was a child on holiday.

My dad would take me for a swim as soon as we woke up, then we'd wander to the shop and buy warm croissants and baguette. The pre breakfast swim calmed my pool obsession and then I was happy to wait for the obligatory 'don't swim straight after eating' period :)

I'd just take her for a pre breakfast swim, it might help!