2 year old constantly asking same question

[Christelle]

Ok, I'm getting worried. My 2 year old boy constantly repeats himself for example he will say "What's that mumma?" and then i will respond and he'll say "What's that mumma?" he can continue doing this 4 or 5 times. Is this "normal?" I'm getting worried :(

[JabberJaw]

:yes: Normal, means they are learning. Prepare yourself my 5 year old son still does it!
Our conversations go :

DS whats that mum?
Me Thats a truck DS
DS Whats it doing mum?
Me Driving DS
DS Why?
ME Because its the mans job to drive the truck
DS Why does the man need a job?
ME Because he needs money to buy food and suprises for his kids
DS What does he buy surprises does he buy his kids mum?

You get the drift....but it is all part of there learning process, children seem to think more than us and need to work stuff out in there little heads so they comprehend it all. My son is now in prep and he does not go in as much depth with his questioning but i must say he is a very bright child, is very smart at school and quite intelligent for his age.

He is perfectly normal, and obviously interested in learning. Believe me with 4 kids i have answered more questions (often strange ones that seem obvious to me) more times than i can count. My first child sent me insane with questions but i have since learnt it is perfectly normal and now encourage there questions.

My DD is also similar, she is interested in trees and nature type things, we have spent many hours at the botanical gardens reading the names of the trees both scientific and common, discovered bugs that we later goggled to find out what the are etc etc.

Its actually a good thing, you DS is interested in learning :yes:

[Christelle]

Thanks for your reply.
I understand the question asking but he asks exactly the SAME thing. That's what I'm worried about.

[gizmoduckus]

It is extremely normal. :yes:

I found that if I repeat what DS says then he doesn't tend to repeat as much. I'm guessing that he realises that I understood what he said.

Does that make sense?

For example
DS: I want a apple
Me: You want a apple?
DS: Yes
Me: Ok, I will get you one

Instead of
DS: I want a apple
Me: Ok
DS: I want a apple
Me: OK
and so on and so on until I get him one.

[Kangaskippy]

Soooo normal!!

My friends little girl did it when she was my sons age (2.5yrs), so I knew what to expect...but man it can become annoying..lol

He is forever asking me "what are you doing mum?" it doesn't matter how I reply, he just asks it again, and again and again...

the other thing he is doing at the moment when he isn't asking the same question, is whenever I say anything he replys with "what?" even when he has heard me...it's become his automatic response...I end up saying "you heard me" and he repeats what I have answered/asked or I just say "nevermind" and still he answers correctly...

it's just a phase they go though...so try not to worry.

[Kangaskippy]

gizmoduckus ~ I might try that approach, as I find myself answering the same way over and over...I really hate repeating myself!

[missie_mack]

Very normal. My DS' new phrase is 'really?'

I tell him we are going shopping the answer is
'Really Mammy?' so I nod and say yes... and his answer is
'Really, really Mammy?' :hair: :laughing:
As you can imagine this can go on for ages :rolleyes:

[JabberJaw]

Thanks for your reply.
I understand the question asking but he asks exactly the SAME thing. That's what I'm worried about.

Nah, thats normal too! Just prepares for what is to come! gizmoduckus offered some good advice to help counteract it, you could give that a try.

[mum2bubba]

My 4 and a half year old does it. It is annoying but I don't want her to NOT ask questions (even if they are repetative) as she has a speech impairment and we have to encourage her to talk. Its usually when she doesn't have my undivided attention (like when I'm driving).

I've also found (like gizmoduckus suggested) that if I repeat what she has said back to her then it isn't as bad. Also ask them questions as well that shows you're interested in what they're telling you/asking you.

Eg:

(if we're in the car)
Hayley: Cows eat grass (she has a speech and grammar impairment so she means the cows are eating grass)
Me: Yes, Hayley, the cows are eating grass, what else are they doing/or what other animals can you see? (or something like that)

[Christelle]

Thanks ladies for all the helpful advice. At least I know he isn't the only one that does it!

[MountainGirl]

Normal!:)

my 2.5yr old does this

J: Mum,..I want a mandarin
me - sorry darling,we dont have any
j: but I want to
me: we dont have any
j: but I want to
me: Jasper,..we dont have any,..would you like an apple?
J: but I want a mandarin

:hair:

[Seacretsquirrel]

yep mine is the same same questions over and over and over - and I too find if I repeat back it helps stop it.
Also I think one of the reasons they do it is that it gets a response from you. If they are just telling you stuff or chatting away then you (I) tend to just listen and give non-committal hmms or ah or thats right kind of responses esp if I am busy with something else where as a question gets a bigger resonse:ecomcity:

[Hollywood]

DS does this too :laughing:. His catch phrase is "What's thaaaaat". I answer his question, but he sometimes repeats himself over and over. I think it's normal :yes: (even if just a tad irritating, but it makes me giggle sometimes :D)

[MummyGoingMad]

Yep so normal, as others have said :) Mine don't do this so much but I used to babysit a 2yo girl (who would be about 7 now) and her favourite thing to do was ask "WHY?"
Eg

"Why is the gorilla doing that?"
Me: "He's eating"
Her: "Why?"
Me: "Well maybe he's hungry"
Her: "Why?"

ETC...

[sweetseven]

Next phase is "What if"

Kid: What if the house starts burning?
Me: I'll call the fire brigade and they'll come put it out.
Kid: What if the phone doesn't work?
Me: I'll go ask the neighbour to use their phone to call the fire brigade, and they'll come and put the fire out.
Kid: What if none of the phones work?
Me: I'll go down to the fire station and tell them, and then they'll come and put the fire out.
Kid: What if they dont come?
Me: Then the house will burn down.
Kid: What then?
Me: Then we wouldn't have a house or clothes or toys anymore.
Kid: What then?
Me: If the house burns down, then we will not have a house or clothes or toys.
(repeat "What then?" with the same basic answer a few times, then a pause, followed by)
Kid: What if the sun doesn't come up in the morning?
(and with a new topic we begin the cycle all over again)

The above was an actual conversation between myself and DD3 in the car when she was quite little.
Note: I deliberaterly opted not to suggest replacement possessions with the house burning down scenario, so that there would be no incentive for her to act upon that idea.

[mumof2brats]

oh im glad im not alone with the repetitive questioning ;)

my ds1 is always asking ''what's that?''

it does get a tad annoying -yes,but if i just answer he is happy then and will go off and find something else to do.

ever since ds1 could talk,i know i was in trouble
he is constantly :ecomcity::ecomcity::ecomcity:,and my mum thinks it is a joke because when i was little i never kept quiet either.lol

[WorkingClassMum]

Try not answering their questions as such, but ask them a question and get their brain problem solving rather than being spoon fed answers

When DS years ago asked why where men digging a hole in the roiad, I asked why he thought they where digging.

He came up with digging for dinosaurs, digging to the middle of the world, digging for gold and a whole heap of fantastic ideas.

We then discussed Bob te builder and agreed that they were probably fixing the road or a water leak under the road, which led to a conversation about pipes and sewerage etc.

I do this with both kids, I find out what they think - it's amazing sometimes what they think about ordinary everyday things

[mum2bubba]

my ds1 is always asking ''what's that?''
l

Skye is asking "whats that?" lately.

Skye (pointing): Whats that?
Me: A light?
Skye: Whats that?
Me: A light
Skye: Whats that?
Me: A roof, is that what you're pointing at?
Skye: Whats that?
Me: Thats a light and thats a roof (pointing)
Skye: Whats that?
Me: I don't know.

[majei]

Often they are wanting more information. If they keep asking tell them more about it, if its about a truck for example explain what it is, what its doing, what its carrying, talk about where it might be going.
Even if its not what they are after its a great thing to be doing (and might stop them repeating the question for a minute at least. :p)

[SalTheGal]

lol :hair: :hair: is all I can say!!!

It is sooo exhausting isn't it.

But I just keep telling myself he is processing the information, and learning things all the time....so I try to be patient!

DS asks why? all the time and then when I answer he will say huh? I will answer again he says huh? etc etc....and yep thats about when I put it back on him to answer the question for me!!!