Does your LO talk about themselves in the third person?

blaze99 · July 2012

DS talks about himself in the 3rd person all the time (eg. Eli is happy, Eli sits there, Eli sneezed). I know this is normal at some point but I'm just wondering if it's age appropriate now - he is 32 months old. Does your LO do this or do they use "I" and "me" more?

ETA: DS was a late talker so I think that's contributing to my concern about this. I always feel like he's either behind or not speaking age-appropriately :-(

Court0026 · July 2012

Yes! And my son did too until he was 2.5 maybe? DD is Mia and she either calls herself Mia or Ma. "Ma no like to brush teeth." ALL DAY LONG. We actually aren't entirely sure if sometimes she means Mia and sometimes she means "me" by saying "Ma".

AmandaP678 · July 2012

all the time.

memali26 · July 2012

Yep. She's been getting better with pronouns lately, and I can tell she's really trying to process and use I/me/mine, but about 40-50% of the time she still talks about herself in the third person. I was a little concerned about it, too, but I think after they hear us referring to ourselves at mommy/daddy and using their names so much in those early years it's to be expected a little bit. I've been making sure to use pronouns more around her so she can pick up on it.

Arcadia1114 · July 2012

It may not be half the time but ds does it quite a bit. He is getting better. It seems to use "I" but uses his name for "me/my". "I want to play trains.". "that's Liam's Thomas.".

Danielleee · July 2012

DS will be 30 months on July 30th, and he still does this, although we are beginning to hear more I's and me's, so I think he is on his way to getting it.

rodiesmum · July 2012

yes she sometimes does up to now! before she used to say "B sad.." "B crying", now she says..."i want..." but sometimes she stil regresses to the third person thing. Sometimes she even uses her real name since "b" is just her petname"

CharannLyn · July 2012

My son is always talking about himself in the third-person. Especially when he sees himself in pictures or videos, like he can't believe it's him. Which, when you think about it, a picture is an old version of yourself.

kmichln · July 2012

My son does it too, like when he is talking about some object. Like that's alec's chair, that's ally's blanket. I remember my mother used to tell me stories about when I was a kid and I used to talk about myself like that like saying kimmie wants this or that. I think it's just a normal part of learning to speak. I wouldn't worry about it.

olga&shaun · July 2012

Yes! DD does it all the time. Her name is Milla, and she can't say "l" yet, so calls herself Mia. We've tried to teach her to say "me", but now she just says "me me".. lol!

MMMiller · July 2012

My son has received speech therapy since he was 15 months old. At his six month in the program they refresh the goals to see what he should be working on. Pronouns is on the list. We work on them a lot. So far he has "mine" down (surprise, surprise) and he's working a lot on "me". The best thing to do is model it every time he says his name in third person and exaggerate it when your talking. If he says "Eli sits", you say "I sit." Then in other situations try to get him to imitate you--for example my son would say "help" and for along time that would work for him to get him but now he has to say "help me" to get what he needs.

sucredee · July 2012

DD just in the last few days is really starting to use "I" a lot more. She will still use the third person occasionally but is predominantly using "I" statements. She will say me/mine a lot and has done that for a long time. I have made a conscious effort to use first person for myself and address her as you rather than "you want mommy to pick up M". And when she addressed herself in the third person I would make the same statement but with "I" and that seemed to really help. "I like a cookie" is one of her favorites now Smile

I think we are so used to referring to ourselves and our LOs in the third person why wouldn't they continue to do that? I bet if you start "correcting" them by restating what your LO said with "I" he will likely pick up on it and start doing it more as well.

superaunt · July 2012

mine doesn't refer to herself in third person unless she sees a picture and instead of saying That's Me, she'll sometimes say her name instead of "me"... like a PP said, i don't say "Mommy is cooking" i say, "i am cooking". DH and i never really did the third person talking with her so maybe that's why? i never even gave this much thought. interesting.

Samidez · July 2012

DD was a late talker. 1st words were a week before her 2nd birthday. Believe me...they catch up & then you'll be sorry!!!! haha

As for talking in the 3rd person. Totally! Its only in the last few weeks that DD started saying "I go play" or "me do it!" etc...

I sweat this stuff BIG TIME so I completely understand your fears. Seriously, all of a sudden your DS will never stop talking/singing and you'll be thinking 'please be quiet for a moment'. But deep in your heart you'll be so thrilled to suddenly realize you thought that!

zeptattoo · July 2012

Yes. It is completely normal.

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