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Behaviour/development

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Does this sound like an average 3 year old?

1 reply

Cathster · 02/04/2022 17:34

And when I say 3, she is 4 this month. Most of her behaviours I think are typical of a three year old, but after some comments from her pre school I wonder if this is in fact 3 year old behaviour or something more? Her language is great, she can talk ten to the dozen and is very clear and understandable, she also seems quite bright in terms of knowing letters and numbers and she can have beautiful manners when she wants to!

  1. Hand flapping when excited
  2. Inability to sit still for long periods of time
  3. Not listening to instructions repeatedly despite understanding them
  4. Mood swings - intense screaming one moment and then happy a second later. If she is reminded of initial trigger then starts screaming again
  5. Periods of calm followed by intense emotions and vice versa
  6. Unexplainable anxieties that cause the mood swings e.g mentioning other children at pre school but has not had reported issue with them
  7. Has certain habits and routines and gets upset if they aren’t followed e.g. getting dressed in the same place at the same time, using a certain spoon and bottle
  8. Very shy and clingy in unfamiliar settings and around unfamiliar faces - goes completely mute
OP posts:
Jannt86 · 02/04/2022 21:18

It sounds pretty standard. I think it depends on to what extreme these issues occur though. Eg my just turned 4YO will often struggle to focus on instructions in dance class etc and can be like the duracel bunny sometimes and keep fleeting between activities at frustrating speed. However she can sometimes spend in excess of half an hour on something she really loves such as drawing. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that something is wrong based on what you say but if you want to help her I'd work on a respectful and consistent discipline technique (appreciate you prpbably already do this) and I'd try and do something that involves joint attention but that you know she'll enjoy (board game/craft activity) and start by aiming for as many minutes as her age concentration and gradually build up. She has quite a while before she needs to be 'school ready' but I'd just work with preschool and don't panic. Kids are what they are at the end of the day xxx

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