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4 year old dcb, newest dck......copy's EVERYTHING everyone says! I mean everything constantly. Drives me and other kids crazy. I have never cared for a child more nosey and in everyone's business as this child. I repeatedly remind him to mind his own all day everyday. I don't know how else to approach this issue?
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Could be that he's having a hard time relating to others and copying is his way of socializing... as annoying as it may be!
You could try coaching him on social skills and teaching him how to play.
I worked in a setting where we were very intentional about teaching children how to play. With all the TV/computer time, and the fact that kids can be over-scheduled and have no time for free play, some kids really don't know how to play and interact with others. They would just dump toys or run around, but never get into really complex, creative play. I think your DCB's copying behavior may be a sign that he doesn't know how to engage.
We would start out by teaching how to play in each area of the room using only two steps. So in the house area, the two step game would be: The baby is crying, feed the baby the bottle. Playing cars might be: The cars are driving, and then the cars park in the garage. Over time (as the kids got older and better at making up their own games), they'd play in much more complicated ways. But if they ever got "stuck", we could direct them to "play house" or "play cars" and they'd know what that meant.
You could try this with you DCB. Help him learn the skills to play with kids instead of just copy them.
"DCB, Jayden doesn't like it when you say what he says. Please stop. Do you see that Jayden is playing with the dinosaur? Here is another dinosaur for you to play with. What do dinosaurs say?..." And then get the kids to help come up with ideas--- "ROAR" or "give me some food" or "I'm going to climb this tree" or "I love pizza" (whatever your dinosaurs feel like doing today). "Okay, dinosaurs say ROAR and then dinosaurs run across the rug. Run, run!" There's a two-step game right there.
I'd also give him chores if he's copying you. He might just want attention or to feel involved. Have him set the table, sweep the floor, and so on. -
For a child that is INTENTIONALLY doing it, I give them a serious look and say, "No thank you." in a firm voice.
If something else is repeated, I send them to play with something else in a different area. Usually, it's an activity that is alone so that nothing can be copied.
I had one very intelligent child doing this here for attention. It stopped quite quickly.
I have one child here who still does this who is on the spectrum which makes it a completely different situation. He doesn't get in trouble for it. I either redirect the conversation, ask him something directly and have him look me in the eyes and reply, or use sign language to tell him, "All done." So, it just depends!Comment
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two great answers...nothing to add
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Yes it's TOTALLY intentional! He knows it bothers the other kids and laughs. I am constantly on him to stop it. He does have a very short attention span though, can pull out a toy and less than 5 mins later is moving on to something else. I am always reminding him to clean up, reminding him of the rules daily that he already knows just chooses not to follow, so there may be more to it......hoping school in the fall will improve things!Comment
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