My dh is worried about our dd aged four. He has concluded she is "unteachable".
SHe reached all developmental milestones and was always very physically advanced and could talk , count, recognise letters early etc BUT...
Where it comes to applying the normal house rules governing the kids ' behaviour (big brother , 5, wee brother 2) she seems to be completely devoid of understanding.
If say she asks for a jigsaw and a pile of toys are strewn over the carpet and we say "put away the other toys and I will get your jigsaw " she will look at us with a look of total incomprehension and say "but I don't WANT to put away my toys". she seems to genuinely not understand the concept of "if...then..." as opposed to her just being deliberately naughty ( which of course she is sometimes too). If she sets her mind to do or not do something she is absolutely immovable.SHe assumes an attitude as if we are total idiots for making the request.
That sounds trivial but there are other things. Today she was building a tower of cushions that kept falling down. She was frustrated so picked uher big brother HARD across the head. DH immediately picked her up and put her in the "isolation "room and she screamed hysterically throughout as if she had been the victim of some terrible miscarriage of justice.
Most of the time she is sweet and adorable but about 5% of the time it is as if a switch has been flicked in her brain and she is completely MENTAL.SHe goes into a screaming trance. Her eyes glaze over and her face goes white. She appears semi-conscious.
I hope the word "mental"does not offend - I am in Scotland and there is no better word to describe her.
DO you think this is normal behaviour or should we be worried? I am not particularly worried but DH is convinced there is something the matter with her brain and has asked me to ask my mumsnet pals.