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3yo doesn't understand the most simple things -- what's normal?

2 replies

Kara198 · 13/09/2021 23:01

I realise how awful that thread title sounds.
I have 5yo and 3yo boys.
5yo has always been very much at expected level with everything his whole life.
3yo hasn't. Didn't roll till 9m, sit till 12m, crawl till 14m, walk till 18m. Was a very early talker.
Will now have full blown conversations and is a very lovely child, no issues with behaviour.
Great eater and sleeper.
But my god his level of understanding other things is very small.
He cant recite or count to 10, doesn't recognise a single number. Doesn't understand phonics or recognise any letters.
Doesn't know days of the week, what happens on what day, no concept of weekends etc.
Cannot complete the most simple of jigsaws or draw a circle or square (if we ask him to copy us).
I will say to him at bedtime "you have swimming tomorrow" and he says "today?"
I say "tomorrow" and he says okay and gets up to get changed!
He wants to understand things but he just doesn't!
He has an amazing sense of humour and blows us away with the things he talks about but I don't understand how he cannot grasp the most simple things.
Does this sound normal?
To add, he goes to nursery 4 full days a week and has done for 2.5 years! They absolutely love him but do say he has no interest most of what they do, he just loves being outside playing.

OP posts:
Olivegreenstrawberries · 14/09/2021 10:47

I think it sounds normal. Maybe you are expecting him to be exactly like the 5 year old. He may just need things to be explained in a different way. Try not to let your concern be known to him.

BananaPB · 14/09/2021 12:39

My kids didn't read or write before Reception but have GCSEs and A-levels. They could recognise symbols like the McDonalds M and badges on cars plus they knew our house number as we have a number by the front door. Maybe start with the house number if you have one and point it out when you see it.

Just keep on repeating tomorrow means "after you sleep at night" or "next time it's morning" and he'll get there. Does he recognize some other sequences like breakfast/lunch/dinner or bath/teeth/pyjamas/story ?

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