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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

3 year old. Not sure if I'm expecting too much!

10 replies

CP2701 · 15/03/2022 20:15

So, the title says it all really. My daughter was 3 in January. She is due to start nursery next month and I'm a little worried. She's a clever wee cookie but I still can't trust her to walk alongside me. I keep seeing other kids her age or younger walking beside their mums. Either holding their hand or just within a safe distance.

My daughter doesn't do this. She's a runner. So she just takes off at a second's notice and just runs, onto roads and everything. I've been using reins for a long time or I've given up and started carrying her across roads at times as she is just so bloody unpredictable.

She has always hated holding hands and if I manage to get her to do it, she practically just runs and drags me.

Am I expecting too much? Are some kids just like this and need a bit longer to mature?

My eldest has ADHD so my experience with her wasn't quite 'the norm' so I'm not sure what I should actually be expecting.

Do any other mums out there have a 3 year old who just runs at the drop of a hat?! I've tried bribes and everything, she just doesn't stop.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

aghhinlaws · 15/03/2022 21:31

Mine does run off as well (just turned 3 this month). I've stopped using reigns last year and now it's better but I can't fully trust him so I discreetly hold his hood and he can also be unpredictable as well. He also can't walk for more than 10 mins as well where he just stops and wants to be carried despite doing millions of laps in the local park.

purpleme12 · 16/03/2022 00:11

Mine would never walk next to me nicely holding my hand
She's never done that (and yes I did see others doing it!)
But I could trust her walking to be fair she was very good with roads
However my point is don't worry not every child will walk beside holding hands and contrary to what some people think that's ok. If they won't and you can't trust them then it's either reins or pushchair. Nothing wrong with that

Original poster

CP2701 · 16/03/2022 07:45

Thanks so much for your replies ladies. So what happens on days out with the nursery etc? They go to the woods a lot and need to cross a couple of roads.

OP posts:

cherryonthecakes · 16/03/2022 12:25

My dd did this. Luckily she's been a super easy teen and never been in trouble at school for not listening. Is she closer to 3 or 4? The older she got, the more she didn't want baby reins so she started complying. She was good at talking so could say what had caught her eye rather than make a dash for it.

cherryonthecakes · 16/03/2022 12:27

@CP2701

Thanks so much for your replies ladies. So what happens on days out with the nursery etc? They go to the woods a lot and need to cross a couple of roads.

My dd was that child who would listen to their teacher first time but not to her mum.

IwaswhoIam · 16/03/2022 14:56

My three year old ( in February) thought it was hilarious the other day to ride his ( balance) bike full speed away from me . I couldn’t keep up . I nearly had a heart attack as he went out of sight . A lovely couple saw him and stopped him going any further and brought him back to me 😳. I can relate completely. I’m hoping it gets better the older he gets .

Original poster

CP2701 · 16/03/2022 15:22

She's just turned 3 a couple of months Ago. Her speech is very good but she's just very impulsive.

It's nice to know I'm not the only one though! Always a bit reassuring.

OP posts:

Hartleyhare1206 · 16/03/2022 21:37

Mine did this in a busy shopping centre just before turning three. I had to run after her, much to the amusement of the other shoppers, and when I caught up with her she threw herself on to her front and did some kind of power slide on her tummy through the doors of a very posh shop, screaming “noooo mama, don’t hurt me!!!” As though she was running away from me for being some kind of child beater!!!
Wanted to die!!
You’ll be pleased to know she is a reasonably civilised 5 year old that accompanies me on 45 min dog walks, and walks to school each day without running off (or causing social services to put her on a child protection register!)

aghhinlaws · 17/03/2022 11:31

Mine shouts "help me, help me" when I grab him if he is about to bolt towards a busy road as if he is getting away from his abductors and he'd rather be hit by a car than come back with his abductors.

Happyhappyday · 24/03/2022 01:58

Not the same issue but DD 3 won’t stop sucking on her finger. I told her babies suck on their fingers and have to wear mittens so she’ll have to if she doesn’t stop. Now when she does it all I have to do is say “mittens” and she stops immediately, because she doesn’t want to be a baby and she’s mostly stopped altogether. Maybe something similar about babies needing reins/to be in the pram etc?

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