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He doesn't want to be 4

post #1 of 8
7/13/10 at 4:25pm
Thread Starter 
I'm stumped on how to explain aging to my son. He turns 4 tomorrow. He's very excited about the whole cake and presents aspect, but not excited about being 4. His exact words are, "But, I'm really going to miss my 3." He's been saying this a lot everyday for maybe the past week. I discussed how we get one year older every year. I told him his three will come back when he is 13, 23 and then A LOT in his 30's and so on until he is 133. That seems to make him happy, but I was wondering if there is any other way I can explain why we "turn a different number" (his words) every year. I feel bad because he seems so bad about not being 3.
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post #2 of 8
7/13/10 at 4:37pm
Tell him he can be 3 plus 1 instead of 4 if he'd like.
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post #3 of 8
7/13/10 at 4:37pm
is he having a party and presents? maybe get him excited for that? you could also do lots of fun little things on his actual birthday to make it really special that he is turning four - like a fun breakfast ( earlier this year when my ds turned 4 i let him have ice cream for breakfast while watching cartoons). also my dh took the day off so we were both home all day. you may not be able to do those things specifically, but maybe you could do other things that would make the day special for him
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post #4 of 8
7/13/10 at 4:41pm
My 4 year old went through a few weeks of insisting he wasn't 4, he was 3. He did the same thing when he turned 3. Now, he's moved on and won't stop asking when he'll be 5.
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post #5 of 8
7/13/10 at 4:42pm
Can he be "3 and two halves" for a while?
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post #6 of 8
7/13/10 at 5:43pm
change is hard on some kids.

it isnt that he doesnt understand.

he just doesnt want to be 4.

he just needs someone to listen to him.

my dd was the opposite of him. she couldnt wait to be 4 and grown up. i just sit and listen about what that means to her.

perhaps he feels he will never be a little boy anymore. a baby?!!!

so i would say something like

'being 3 or 4 really doesnt mean a thing. you are still going to be my little boy whom i love to distraction. the moment i saw you my life changed. and you are still that baby to me. yes you can do more things now. but forever you will always be my baby - even when you become a daddy and have your own baby. '
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post #7 of 8
7/13/10 at 5:46pm

hi

I think he is TOTALLy adorable!!!

Well just an idea...my son goes to a montessori school and on his birthday they had a ritual...with a candle (the sun) in the center with twelve months around it...symbolized by little scraps of paper with the months written on them...and then he held the world in his hands...and walked around the sun 4 times...its a really cool ritual and it might give him a better idea of time...and its FUN
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post #8 of 8
7/13/10 at 11:38pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies. I just feel so sorry for the little guy. He is usually asking me when he'll be bigger because he wants to drive and a get a tattoo. But he's so sad about that 3. I like everyone's input. I really like that ritual idea from Paula. Thanks everyone!
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