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Original poster

What is your 4-year-olds MOST annoying behaviour?

86 replies

imaginaryfriend · 20/06/2006 21:36

I'm just asking because dd is approaching 4 and up until 3.5 or so was a real dream of a girl with very little in the way of, ahem, 'challenging' behaviour.

Now we have unreasonable tempers, rages, control freak behaviour and perhaps the most annoying for me, being ignored.

... and ... when will it end and peace be restored to our home ...

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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glassofwine · 21/06/2006 14:29

Does anyone have an answer to the why? problem. Like everyone else I'm not talking about the occassional question from a bright child. I'm talking about a habitual, non-stop response, which cannot be ignored or DS just gets more repetative and louder. AAggg.

spidermama · 21/06/2006 14:30

I think the answer to the problem is in your name GOW.

spidermama · 21/06/2006 14:30

At least it helps.

LIZS · 21/06/2006 14:31

Telling tales and screaming/crying when things don't go her way !

MrsBigD · 21/06/2006 14:32

I usually play along for a while with the why? questions... until I can't think of any other answers or paraphrasing and then resort to a rather 'mature' 'because I say so' . Saying that I do indulge as that way I'm trying to build her vocabulary in my language

Northerner · 21/06/2006 14:37

Yes I go along with the why questions and make things up, but sometimes I have to bellow I DON'T KNOW!!!

Like 'Why is that man driving fast?'
'Because he is late?'
'Why is he late?'
'Because he didn't leave on time this morning?'
'Why didn't he leave on time?'
'Because he slept in?'
'Why did he sleep in?'
'Maybe he went to bed late?'
'why did he go to bed late?'
'I don't know?'
'You do Mummy - Why did he go to bed late?'
'Because he was at a party'
'Who's party was it?'

Aaaaarggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

northstar · 21/06/2006 14:38

The constant insistance that we have to go to Chooklie's birthday party (his imaginary friend) EVERY DAY.
He tells me every morning it is Chooklie's birthday, every afternoon it is time for his party, and every evening he is upset because I didn't bring him but not to worry because he is having another one tomorrow and he'll go to that one instead. And so on ...

Northerner · 21/06/2006 14:38

Why did I put question marks after my answeers?!!!! See my wholw world revolves around questions!

throckenholt · 21/06/2006 14:38

I end up saying - "it is not a why question - it just is" or "I don't know - why do you think ...." - to which they never answer - grrrr.

northstar · 21/06/2006 14:39

Hey northener it could have been Chooklies party

Northerner · 21/06/2006 14:41

Yes Northstar! Now that would open up a whole can of worms!!

'Who is Chooklie?'

throckenholt · 21/06/2006 14:43

"why did Chooklie have a party?"

"why didn't we go ?"

"why is he called Chooklie?"

Ooops - I am loosing the plot here - I am not even with them at the moment - just anticipating an hour's time .

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 21/06/2006 18:56

I haven't really encountered 'why' questions that much, only occasionally. But I do get absolute non-stop chatting. She even chats in her sleep. And especially annoyingly over the top of me or other people speaking. It's like she can't stop thinking aloud.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 21/06/2006 19:21

Hmm, the "why" thing doesn't bug me that much. I like saying "I don't know" if I don't know. Maybe DS1 isn't a champion why-child anyway.

I am annoyed by the drama-queen behaviour. "Why do I always have to do everything?" "You're not invited to my birthday party!" etc etc.

But probably provoking his little brother is his most annoying habit.

muma3 · 21/06/2006 19:29

my dd2 is 5 next month and still put fingers in mouth when asking a question , like "can i have some sweets please ?"
eating with her mouth open constantly its a pet hate of mine
everything is done so slow almost backwards .
constantly forgetting what i have said to her .
"go and get your book bag "
comes down 15 mins later and just sits down with no book bag
" book bag?"
"oh yeah "
of she trotts and this is over everything . she takes 45 mins sometimes to eat her dinner . doesnt eat much and says she has finshed when she could of really said that like 20 mins ago so i could of washed her plate and sat down could go on and on !!

Tommy · 21/06/2006 19:35

not sure if I have time to list them all.......
whining if something goes a little bit the way he doesn't want it to.
putting his fingers in his ears when I'm telling him off
licking me
Saying "are you my Mummy?" or other such silly question about once a minute if he can't think of anything else to say
dawlding
his total lack of table manners
calling everyone Poohead

I could continue but I won'r bore you all to tears.....
his refusal to eat anything he hasn't tried before

sparklemagic · 21/06/2006 20:00

blimey it seems I am lucky as DS (four in August) has never called me or anyone poo poo head, or any name come to that! Will await that stage with dread though...

the only thing with my DS really is that I hate being housebound by his hatred of going places! It's bizarre as he actually loves the novelty of new places, but most days if he's been at pre-school, he seems to feel that is IT for the day and he point blank refuses to go out again...I have to have the negotiating skills of the bleedin' United Nations Ambassadors to effect a simple trip to the library!

southeastastra · 21/06/2006 20:03

he is very obsessive! lots of rituals that must be done daily or there will be tantrums

singersgirl · 21/06/2006 20:16

DS2 is nearly 5 but most annoying habits include repeating something ad nauseam until someone acknowledges it: "Mummy, I scratched my nose. Mummy, I scratched my nose. Mummy, I scratched my nose..." "Yes, all right, you scratched your nose".
Also bellowing "What?" in a real Waynetta Slob voice when he hasn't heard something, only topped by the screeched "I am having a pooh", in equally Waynetta-like tones.

southeastastra · 21/06/2006 20:20

hee hee!

his other favourites are 'have a look', 'have a look', 'have a look' etc, etc, etc argh

or look mummy, look mummy, look mummy

mummyfatbelly · 21/06/2006 20:39

saying 'I love you too' at bedtime..... oh my god that sounds evil! but she says it 238 million times whilst i am trying to edge out the bedroon door, oh my god does this make me a bad mum??

southeastastra · 21/06/2006 20:55

no! anything repeated over and over is just argh!

singersgirl · 21/06/2006 20:57

On a less annoying note, he was sniffing my neck the other day, and I asked him if I smelt nice. He said "You smell of love", which really made up for all the shouting about his toilet habits!

Original poster
imaginaryfriend · 21/06/2006 22:13

They ARE all the same. We have lots of 'rituals' too and endless repetitions and screams of 'look at me mum!' over virtually everything. Actually I have this kind of bizarre position like a suspended jack-in-a-box sometimes as dd likes to do things (pictures etc.) as a surprise so I get an excited: 'don't look mum!' then 'Look at this mum!' so I look, then there are instant tears and a pathetic screech of 'I TOLD you NOT to LOOK' cue throwing self on bed and refusing to be consoled with the odd 'you RUINED my picture' muttered through her tears ...

OP posts:
sparklemagic · 21/06/2006 22:37

singersgirl, how lovely and how profound......