When do they understand the concept of time?

[HohohoBumperlicious]

DD is driving me mad with her impatience (I don't know where she gets it from ). She is 2.5 and doesn't get the concept of time yet, specifically 'in a minute'. I know it's a very frustrating thing to say to a toddler, but sometimes she just has to wait a minute! How can I get her to understand? She is very articulate and thoughtful so maybe I am just expecting too much of her. Just wondering though, when I can expect her to understand.

DS1 is 21 and has yet to discover that if a process takes 12 hours, and needs to be completed by x o'clock, then the time to start that process is x-12 hours. So I'd say you have a long wait

but in your case, doesn't in a minute really mean 'when I've finished this/when this is ready' or whatever? In which case, can't you just say 'we'll go out to the park when I've hung up the washing/drunk all my tea/you've put all your toys in the box'?

Mine didn't really understand time until they started school - sorry!

Sometimes, giving them something to do until you can help them means that they aren't asking all the time.

Thanks, very simple pieces of advice that hadn't occurred to me.

Future understanding doesn't sound promising though!

My 5 year old ds still struggles with time - we still talk in terms of how many sleeps and have to remind him that later means later and not in a minute!!!

Distraction probably best technique atm

My dd got much better with time once she could count to 60. 60 seconds = one minute. So she understands time in terms of minutes. Maybe around 5 years?

Saying 'in a min' has back fired on me - my DS (7) now counts to 60 and then I'm in trouble if I'm not doing what has been asked!