Today, I had to get a babysitter for my 3 year old son to finish some homework and tonight at bedtime he told me "Mommy, I want you to cry" and "I don't like you".
Should I be concerned, or is this just because he felt abandoned today? (We DID take him to the "red store" Target and buy him a new toy........) Maybe he thinks I'd rather buy him things than spend time with him?
Later he gave me a big hug and a kiss and asked me to lay down with him, but his "I don't like you" and "I want you to cry" have me really worried.
I'm looking for opinions from PROFESSIONALS ONLY who can say whether this is normal for this age and under the circumstances where mom has to have a day to herself for whatever reason........... I try to do my school work while my son is at preschool, but today was President's Day so we were home together and I had a huge project due. I did promise to take him somewhere fun later this week, but I don't know if he understands that yet.
2007-02-19 16:34:34 · 4 answers · asked by Avon Lady 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
This is very normal don't worry about it. Children do not understand what they are saying. Children may say something like "I don't like you because they are trying to tell you how they feel but they don't know how to say it he might just mean that he was mad at you for that minute". At this age children are experiencing with words and feelings. He may have just wanted to see what your reaction would be. Next time I would ask him why do you want mommy to cry ? say I don't want to cry I want to be happy because I love you than give him a hug.
2007-02-19 17:17:39 · answer #1 · answered by jenny♥ 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am an Infant Development Specialist who works with children birth- 3 years old, and a mother of a 20 month old. Children say these sorts of things all the time. They do not know the true meaning and feeling behind these words. Please do not worry about it.
2007-02-20 01:02:44 · answer #2 · answered by Melissa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YOUR READING TOO MUCH INTO THIS, WHEN YOU CRY AND YOUR CHILD SEES YOU, THEIR AUTOMATIC RESPONSE IS TO COMFORT YOU, AS YOU ARE THE CENTER AND FOCUS OF THEIR WOULD, THIS CREATES CONFUSION.
YOUR REACTION TO "Mommy, I want you to cry" and "I don't like you", IS A TEST. WHAT YOUR REACTION WILL BE, AND A POSSIBLE PUNISHMENT FOR THE ABANDONMENT EARLIER IN THE DAY. I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT ANOTHER CHILD OR THE BABYSITTER MAY HAVE SAID SOMETHING TO YOUR SON TO TRIGGER THESE COMMENTS.
YOUR REACTION WAS ASSESSED, RECORDED AND WILL BE APPLIED FOR FURTHER USE, REACT / REWARD WISELY.
2007-02-20 00:49:06 · answer #3 · answered by ne_art1 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i consider myself a professional mommy so here it goes...
they tell you that to get a reaction from you. the first time i heard "i hate you mommy" i followed it by, "i love you darling, please be nice." i spend all day with my kids as a housewife so i understand when we make promises to spend more time with them to make them happy. they do to. just don't break it. i believe it is normal. just don't let it bother you so much and never say anything hurtful to your child as a reply to what he has said. no professional here, but i hope it helped.
2007-02-20 00:45:40 · answer #4 · answered by pwrgrlmanda 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋