Please help i'm going to scream!!

**squeely wheely** · 10-07-2013, 06:27 PM

I look after a lovely three year old girl, she's quite shy and I think mum and dad are a bit strict with her, but what can you do..... Thing is she wants to know where I am going and what I am doing at all times. If I move she asks "where are you going" if I have a drink she asks "what are you doing?" even though she can clearly see what I am doing, she will always ask "what's this" pointing to things like a cup or her shoes things she clearly knows. She will ask "Where's the dog" and the dog will be stood right in front of her. At first I was quite patient and explained to her everything, but now it's starting to bug me and I dont want to be rude to her. I just want it to stop being for everything I do and every move I make. I think in some way she just wants to communicate with me but this is the only way at the moment she knows how to get the attention. having said that I'm really upbeat and talk and praise the children all the time when deserved. So I really dont know what to do and might have to lock myself in a padded room to SCREEEEEAAMMM!.

Currently I Just either tell her where I am going or what I am doing. But for things I know she knows I just say "you know that, what is it?" and she laughs shyly and says what it is.

If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them.

Thanks!

**supermumy** · 10-07-2013, 06:34 PM

Sounds like Maybe she is just trying to get to you and come out of her shell and engage in some conversation

toddlers896 · 10-07-2013, 06:35 PM

I was chuckling when I read this as I have a two year old that just keeps repeating my husbands name and it is driving him nuts.we do have a laugh about it. She will say tony and he will say what and she will say tony again and this goes on for ages.eventually he will go upstairs and she will stand at the bottom and shout tony.its really funny.he adores her but it is irritating for him. So unfortunately I can't offer any advice but I sympathise with you xx

**AliceK** · 10-07-2013, 06:40 PM

I have a 4yr old who is the same. He is constantly asking me what seems like pointless questions about nothing in particular, just as you describe. He is an only child and can be quite shy to the point of rudeness to people he doesn't know very well but he's not shy with me as he's been with me for quite a long time now. I can't offer any advice I think it's just a phase, hopefully

xxx

**Samijanec** · 10-07-2013, 07:02 PM

No advice here other other than I have one of those...

**skatie** · 10-07-2013, 07:28 PM

Sounds like my little 3 yo mindee, it's rather exhausting isn't it!! She isn't too bad on asking where I am going but does ask the silliest questions, mostly about things she clearly knows ' what is that/this?' When she knows the answer. So when she asks these questions I ask 'what do you think it is?' . What are you doing? And why? Are another favourite. My LO says 'look at me' about 100 times a day when all she is doing is walking or sitting so its clearly an attention thing. It's just very draining when everyone wants your attention. Sorry no advice other than hopefully she'll grow out of it.... Lets live in hope!

**hectors house** · 10-07-2013, 07:36 PM

Yep have a 3 year old girl like this - sometimes I just reply - what do you think I am doing? - hopefully in a calm questioning voice not at all sarcastic!

**Pixie dust** · 10-07-2013, 07:38 PM

Sounds like my little 3 yo mindee, it's rather exhausting isn't it!! She isn't too bad on asking where I am going but does ask the silliest questions, mostly about things she clearly knows ' what is that/this?' When she knows the answer. So when she asks these questions I ask 'what do you think it is?' . What are you doing? And why? Are another favourite. My LO says 'look at me' about 100 times a day when all she is doing is walking or sitting so its clearly an attention thing. It's just very draining when everyone wants your attention. Sorry no advice other than hopefully she'll grow out of it.... Lets live in hope!

Snap I have one who does exactly the same and I deal with it in the same way as you turning the questions back on to them.

**Stapleton83** · 10-07-2013, 07:49 PM

I have one too, although he doesn't do it quite so much now but he usually knows the answer I did wonder if it was a confidence thing. Now I turn it on its head if I know he knows the answer and ask him what he thinks it is and then praise him when he gets it right!

Sam x

**Kiddleywinks** · 10-07-2013, 08:09 PM

Yup, another one here - constantly!
Terribly draining, and I just throw it back now like Hectors House, where do you think I'm going, what do you think I'm doing etc, although I after a particularly difficult day I did reply with 'there and back to see how far it is' - this then led to a mammoth counting session of steps to see how far there and back was

**jackie 7** · 10-07-2013, 08:27 PM

Oh thank goodness I am not alone. Yes I have 1 best thing is she only comes for 3 hours a week. And that is enough. Sorry can't help. Just ask question back. Ok I wanted to say ignore some questions.

**Mrs Scrubbit** · 10-07-2013, 08:40 PM

Me too! Mine is a little girl who is almost 3 and she also asks questions that I know she knows the answer to xx

**RachaelStevens** · 10-07-2013, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by Kiddleywinks

Yup, another one here - constantly!
Terribly draining, and I just throw it back now like Hectors House, where do you think I'm going, what do you think I'm doing etc, although I after a particularly difficult day I did reply with 'there and back to see how far it is' - this then led to a mammoth counting session of steps to see how far there and back was

Lol my own daughter would be doing that then telling me how far it was with plenty of attitude

**lozzy23** · 10-07-2013, 09:34 PM

Me too, I have a 4 year old who asks questions she knows the answers to. She also calls out my name and asks me to look at her throughout the day, especially when I am doing something with another child. She will also start whistling or clicking her tongue. All in all she is lovely, but just wants my 100% undivided attention - very difficult with 3 other LO's.

On the positive side my DH and children think I am the most patient person in the world

, as they can only spend a bit of time with her as she will start on them!!

**The Juggler** · 10-07-2013, 09:37 PM

my best tip is reply with a question. I had a child once who would know something but still ask me over and over again. After I told her the first time, I would either say to her "where did I tell you x was?' or just ask her the same question she asked me - she always knew the answer

if she didn't I would ask her questions to prompt her and she got there in the end. It encourages them to think things through for themselves.

**wendywu** · 10-07-2013, 10:20 PM

Sorry to upset you but I have a 9.5 year old and he still does it even now. So they don't all grow out of it

**KatieFS** · 10-07-2013, 10:22 PM

I try to distract with other questions. Get her to do the talking.

**westbrom44** · 10-07-2013, 10:27 PM

I think it is quite normal and a phase a lot of children go through, like asking why... why... why!

**angeldelight** · 11-07-2013, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by wendywu

Sorry to upset you but I have a 9.5 year old and he still does it even now. So they don't all grow out of it

Yes mine are older and still do it

I think she sounds really sweet and inquisitive even if she does already know the answers .

She sounds like my little 3 year old ....if she asks where the dog is ...answer with I'm not sure ,why don't you tell me !
If she points to things she already knows then again you answer her with a question ,you could ask what colour cup are you talking about ...or is the cup big or small if she asks about a cup for example . So that way she is learning too and will have to answer you rather than you do it .

Make it fun

Angel xxx

**Anacrusis** · 11-07-2013, 05:43 AM

My daughter did this at around 3yrs too, sometimes I did the same as other's have posted and would ask her back - "hmm, I wonder what it is" etc. Someties I'd just answer & usually I'd expand a bit about whatever she was asking about. If the questions went on for a long time I'd start to give silly answers - I don't know that that helped but it made it more interesting for me lol - then distract her with something else.

Once we were in a queue at the post office (my daughter was in front of me in a pushchair) and she asked me "what are you doing" hundreds of times. I patiently answered again and again. In the end I said "I'm standing on my head singing nursery rhymes" and she turned round so quickly with a shocked look on her face! In was really funny!!