So I was thinking the dreaded thought every parent has at some point I'm sure "Does my child have a learning disability?". He can count to 70 knows his ABC's in order and out, can recognize all the letters and is hitting all the physical milestones......but his colors and numbers, totally different story. I thought he didn't know them, period. My husband thought the same thing and we actually got into an argument because he was saying in a round about way that I am not doing a good job with our son. Anyway this all changed last night; I decided to find out for sure if he knew his colors because friends were saying I was nuts to think he didn't actually know them. I asked him to pick all the red blocks then blue and so on. At first he was picking up the wrong ones and asking, then he just walked away. So I bribed him! I know I know maybe I shouldn't but I did. Wouldn't you know it...........HE KNOWS THEM ALL! We have seriously been doing this song and dance for like 6 months! Anyone else have completely stubborn toddler stories to share??
So before I get blown up, I do not think there is anything wrong with a child that has a disability or anything of the sort. If you take issue with what I have said then please just move on from my post. Thanks and have an awesome Friday!!! :0)
WOW B.B.; No that is not why I am asking the "question" It isn't even a question. Just sharing a personal experience and wondering about other parents experiences as well. I know my son is smart and I don't need anyone to tell me. Yes I do have other examples of his stubbornness.
Ha.. my almost 2.5 year old refuses to wear his shoes when we go out. He knows how to , but whenever I ask him to wear it he just plays with the shoes, puts on the wrong shoe on each leg and says ' M., help M. '. :)
My son also does the same with numbers, he can count 1-10 but always jumbles up the numbers.
He may or may not be stubborn, but from your story, it sounds like he's just not developmentally ready to be quizzed. That makes sense at school age or a little before -- most 3-year-olds' brains haven't developed to the point where a question/answer session makes any sense.
Your son sounds very smart and completely normal. Just don't push him to think like a 5-year-old when he's 3! I've done that too, with my son, most people do it, but it just doesn't work. He's got to go through 3 to get to 5. At his age, make it a game. He doesn't see any social/emotional reward in giving you the right answer unless you build that into the game; the 3-brain is a different animal like that.
ETA. Stubborn, in the long run, is an amazingly good thing. Stubborn people are the survivors and thirvers in this world.
Me: Can you think of words that start with N? With the "nnn" sound?
DD: No.
Also, my toddler has been completely unable to dress herself in the morning. Doesn't have the coordination to get her jammies off over her head, doesn't have the coordination to get new clothes on - okay, I can handle that. Fast-forward to last week: the girls are watching "Swan Lake" (the Barbie version, but the music is the same, and thanks to Barbie, I now have two little Tchaikovsky fans, so yay!) - little one runs to her room, and before I know it, she's back in the living room. Having changed out of her clothes, and into her ballerina dress-up things. Apparently, she can dress herself just fine when the clothes are glittery and shiny.
(And, for the record, numbers are harder than you think. My aunt was a kindergarten teacher - she says you wouldn't believe how many kids she got over the course of her career, who could RECITE the numbers 1-20, but couldn't actually COUNT 20 objects. There is a difference between being able to SAY them, and actually knowing what they mean!
And my first thought with colors was: colorblindness has lots of different manifestations. Red/green problems; distinguishing shades of red (pink, purple, orange); seeing only black and white; being unable to see patterns. Etc. Etc. I would never assume that a child who didn't know colors had learning difficulties.)
However, I always assume that a child that is stubborn is using his/her little brain to figure out how to get what they want. Frustrating? Yes, but great mental exercise.
Is it possible he is color blind. He seems bright enough to be able to figure out if he was incorrect the first time, the next time he switched out the colors.
Give him time. He s 3. He does not reall need all of this information right now fr survival.
Allow him to learn as he plays. Children are learning all of the time, it usually evens out in about the third grade..
The carrying issue was our stubborn point. My boys always wanted to be carried at 3 even if a stroller was available and obviously they could walk. Geesh. drove me nuts when I had #2 and older one said, "I hold you, mama." And I was already juggling his 3 month old baby bro.
I got really good at balancing (literally one on each side) the two because I had a hard time saying no to those sweet little faces. I guess their stubbornness won out:)
I hope you have other examples of "stubborness" besides the fact that he wont pander to you. So he gets a kick out of telling you the wrong colors. Your son sounds really smart. Is that the real reason you are asking this question?
Ok, like what? What are other instances of stubborness that concern you? I guess I just don't understand your question. Do you think he has a learning disability? Are you trying to figure out if it's a disability or stubborness? He is only 3...it just sounded like you wanted to brag.
Wow, your son sounds like a normal 3 year old to me. The biggest thing coming to my mind while reading your post is that your husband is a jerk. If my husband told me that I wasn't doing enough for my children he would be junk punched! End of story!
All three year olds are stubborn, worse from 3.5-4. And my 4.5 year old can't even count to 70, so I'd say you're fine. Please stop expecting too much from him! It's fine to teach them but there no way in hell your child has any problems that need early intervention.
