Help! There is a parrot trapped in my house.

[Ellen Griswold]

  Not a real one, of course - but the little guy I babysit. He was 3 in January.  It's making dd and I bonkers !  I don't think there's much we can do, however I thought I would appeal for whatever advice I could.  He repeats EVERYTHING!  All.the.time.  And if you don't acknowledge him by saying it back to him, he just repeats it again. Over. And over. And over. And over.

For instance: "Z, time for lunch."  "Time for lunch?"  I stay quiet. "Time for lunch?"  I stay quiet.  "Time for lunch?" And repeat.

And then sometimes he does it anyway.

Example: "Z, time for lunch."  Time for lunch?" "Yes, time for lunch."  "Time for lunch?" "Yes, it is time for lunch." And repeat.

Usually, I can cope....though today's been a bit rough.  Dd is almost 4 and she's hitting her frustration point.  She says, "Z, want to color?"  "Want to color?" "Yeah, want to color?"  "Color?" (Screaming) "I just sayed that already!!!!"

Thoughts?  I realize this is age appropriate and a stage, but, um, this has been a LONG phase....for like 8 months or so now.

[Tjej]

I find if I drone on and on I limit the opportunity for my 3yo to get the repetitions in after everything.

:)

Tjej

[nextcommercial]

Unfortunately, the next stage is called "talk nonstop".  It makes your brain bleed.

I don't have any words of advice, but, I understand what you are going through.

[~cassie]

Could there possibly be a developmental issue?  Look into Echolalia(I believe is what it is called).  I honestly know nothing about it but have heard of it before.  I've never had any of my kids or nieces/nephews(I have 11) do this.  My middle son got to the point where he would say something and then I would repeat it correctly to make sure he understood the proper way to say something-and for a while he would repeat it until I acknowledged he said something-but that is different than what this little guy is doing since you are actually answering him.