almost 4 yo ds suddenly referring to self in 3rd person...

[TreeLove]

I have no idea why. Anytime he wants something or tells me about something that he did he says "Emmet wants milk." or "When Emmet grows up he wants to work with Papa."

It's starting to weird me out....

Is it a phase or cause for alarm?

[m&m]

it could simply be a stage of him learning who he is in relation to the world - he finally understands that he is Emmet, you know?

Or, it could be a sign of stress - if circumstances have changed in any way for him he may have regressed a little -

either way, he will grow out of it though -

[Missgrl]

Do you talk with you in 3rd person? Like i'll sometimes say...."mommy want a kiss" or "will you bring that to mommy?"
I think lots of parents do this. So maybe he is trying to be like you!

BTW....It's nice to see you around Treelove! My twim sis just had twin boys a few days ago and I thought of you!

[Moon Stander]

I have to agree with a, there's nothing to worry about.

IMO, children experiment with language all the time.

[lilyka]

My dd did this when she was about three. She was just really impressed with names. Untill then she just kinda thout everyone had the same name (all the ladies were called mommy, all the men daddy, strangely enough most of the girls Hannah) when she realized everyone had there own special name she was so thrilled to use it.

[stlcjb]

Like Missgrl said, talking about yourself is enforcing the third person. My dd #1 always refers to herself in third person. She has been doing this for a long time. But I always am saying "mommy has to . . ." and when I need her to do something it's "Emma this or that" She hears her name a lot. But the funnist thing is when she says "Emma do it myself" She is mixing tenses!! I know she will learn, but it's so cute right now . . .