DS repeats himself and its driving me mad. Is this normal?

[ilovetosleep]

He's nearly 3 and we also have DS2 who is 7 weeks, if that's relevant.

His speech is great, loads of vocab and long sentences etc I think, but he just repeats himself over and over and over until he gets a response or acknowledgement. Its driving me insane.

For example. 'Play with me mummy' 'I will, after I've brushed my teeth'. To which he will repeat 'play with me' over and over and over until I'm there.

If he sees something interesting, he'll say 'Look, a tractor mummy' - and then repeat getting louder and louder until I respond ' oh yes, a tractor'.

He doesn't understand that if I'm not in earshot I can't hear to reply. Is this normal? Eg Today, he got into a peppa pig moving money machine thing at the cafe and started asking for money to put in. I was at the till and although I could hear him, really I was far enough away to not properly be in earshot. He just repeated, over and over, to no one in particular, 'Please I want some money to put in'. Over and over. Other customers must have thought he was a complete brat.

Another thing. I am worried that other people find this annoying. I have seen him do it to other children, while playing, he'll say something or ask a question and if they don't reply he'll just keep banging on at them. I found it hard to make friends when I was very small and I always think maybe I was just not very likeable. I really worry that this kind of trait will really annoy other kids. Or is it just very normal? I have no idea.

This is the second thread I've started about DS today! This repetative thing is quite new but tbh in the past, before DS2, I was constantly engaging in conversation with him so maybe he's just used to that. What can I do to nip this in the bud?

Thanks in advance

Sounds like he wants the attention tbh. My DSS (nearly 12) does this and will repeat himself over and over again until we acknowledge him. I would have thought it wasn't unusual at that age though - not that that helps as it must be difficult with a tiny baby, too.

Mine does this and still does and he's 5.8.

Sorry.

He's now a little bit more understanding of "Please be patient and wait quietly" but is physically unable to wait longer than about 20 seconds before mentioning it again.

I once tried ignoring him because he was supposed to be asleep and he repeated "Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Please mummy can I just tell you one thing. I need to tell you one thing mummy. Mummy. Mummy." for twenty five solid minutes until I couldn't stand it any more and said "Look, just tell me what the thing is, you've been talking at me for half an hour!"

He still carried on. I think that was the point that I walked out of the back door and left him to it until I felt less murderous!

I have tried to bribe him to be quiet before on several occasions and his limit is about two and a half minutes

My ds (12) will say my name over and over, with me looking directly at him, until I say "what?". Drives me loony!

Yes totally normal and very annoying at times :) . They just keep on and on and on and on and on..........repeating the same question even when you answer! I had this conversation today:
Toddler: Look at the truck
Me: yes sweetheart I see the truck
Toddler: look at the truck, I can see the truck, I see the truck
me : I see the truck too, isnt it big
Toddler: I can see the truck, look a truck, a big truck
This went on several minutes in the same vein.........................

12 ??!! Oh god help me! DD1 does this - she's nearly 8 and does the 'mummy, mummy, mummy?' thing and keeps on going until I respond even if it's just her and me in the car/room/wherever. 3yo DD2 has stated doing it too - and does it to DD1 - which drives her equally crazy. Does it stop DD1? Does it heck!

Just acknowledge them. Say I can hear you I will come in a minute. Or whenever.

For young ones they're learning the art of conversation. For older ones - maybe they're just winding you up?!

DD, 4 in August, is the queen of this. Drives me insane sometimes as she doesn't actually leave enough of a gap for a response before repeating herself!

Not sure what to suggest as nothing we have tried in the last year had helped - sorry!

Thanks all for the replies. Reassured that its common, slightly anxious that it might last another 10 years!

I've tried ignoring him but he could go on for ever. I usually always acknowledge and respond but it doesn't seem to work if the answer is not what he wants to hear! (eg in the case of 'play with me') In those cases he'll just go on and on! He's usually ok if I acknowlege a statement (eg Look at truck).

What do you think about it annoying other kids, or do they all do it so it isn't a problem? Yesterday in a play area I heard him going on and on and on to some poor girl about her cooking herself some dinner (they were in a play house ) She was older and just ignored him but started to look really fed up!

I was in a shop yesterday and her kid, maybe 9, was going "mum, mum, I want xyz" over & over. I was amazed at her powers of seeming deafness to the annoyance! Isn't that what kids do?

My ds 2 & 3/4 does what your ds does.

Most definitely is partly to wind me up, but also partly to do with the fact he's not paying attention, he says Mam 4 times, forgets what's he's doing, 5 seconds later remembers again and starts with "mam, mam, mam" again, without ever looking up.

The fact he's still alive at 12 is a miracle!!

DD2 (3.8) is exactly the same. She doesn't pause long enough for me to respond before she repeats herself. It does my head in!

I also have DS (9.9) and DD1 (7.2), but they were never as bad as DD2.

Ha ha I am chuckling away at this because our ds2 was exactly the same and it went on like that for a while! He's 6 now and still has the odd bout of stuck record until response.

Ugh yes, I think it's normal.

DS3 is just 'mummy...'

Dd is 9 and still does this from time to time. It drives me absolutely demented!

It may well annoy other kids. But they'll tell him or show him and he'll learn in time.

My youngest was doing it today and an older friend said 'saying the same thing again and again is bugging, I'll give you a turn when I've finished mine.'
He wailed for a second, then shut up

He also repeats himself until what he's saying is correct or sounds right. They're just learning the art of a (one way?!) conversation.

They work it out with other kids I think. When DS has a friend over he totally railroads over them.

Other kid: Wow, look at all this cool stuff you have!
DS: LOOK AT ME!!!!!! LOOK AT THIS, FRIEND! WATCH ME!!!! WATCH ME DO THIS!!!!
Other kid: Can we play with the pirate ship?
DS: LOOK!!!!!! LOOK AT THIS!!! HAHAHAHAHA I'M WEARING A BOWL ON MY HEAD!

Poor kid is deprived. He needs a sibling O_O However he seems to be making friends. We put him in a kindergarten where he doesn't speak the language. Bit drastic but he's popular so it seems to have worked However he hasn't slowed down. Now he talks in words-tumbling-into-each-other and melting together German as well as English.

Yes there is sometimes definitely an element of wanting reassurance that what he's said was right or pronounced properly or conversation-worthy.

I know he's learning and curious and that's all good. But my god it's annoying.

When he was a bit younger he used to play with a toy phone and he'd call people over and over and over again and repeat a little speech, something like 'hello, how are you I am very well thank you, see you soon, bye'. It was so cute but he did that about 50 times a day. He was obviously practising the art of pleasantries! He's very good at that kind of conversation now!

Thank you for a good chuckle. My ds today drove me bananas asking the same question over and over. He heard me but just didn't like my response. So just kept on. He's almost 6.

Yep yep yep. I do respond but often my response isn't exactly right so he'll carry on. I started when he was about three saying "I don't want to talk about this any more" and "No is the end of the conversation". He still has to be reminded of those sentiments.