Does your toddler seem to have selective hearing? Does she look right at you when you're talking, then turn away to do something more "interesting"? Is he so lost in space that you wonder if he knows something you don't? Mine does all this and more, and to tell you the truth, I've been wondering about him lately. After repeating, "Look at me, look at me, hey, why don't you look at mama?" ten times, I think he must be deaf, or worse. Granted, I might turn off if a lady three times my size was leaning over me and saying the same thing over and over again. And part of the problem is the comparison trap. His sister has such laser focus, when he drifts away I can't help but wonder if something is wrong.
Which is why I was a relieved to read a physician's piece about how small children actually have good reason to stare off into space, or shut down.
Karen Latimer tells us to let our kid be, even if we want to get him back in the social circle he just wandered away from as he seemed to be having a great time. Young kids spacing out is simply a way for them to remove themselves from an overstimulating situation. It makes sense. A kid can't get in his car and leave, so he mentally tunes out. It's normal, and nothing to worry about.
So really, the problem is now yours, mom. And mine. As this tune out does truly drive me crazy. When you're trying to teach a toddler how to communicate, part of it does require him listening to you, after all. I'd also love to think he'll grow out of it, and Latimer says unless your child is also not making eye contact or seemingly having seizures, you shouldn't worry. So I try to count on the fact that he'll outgrow this not listening phase. After all his father did, right around his 33rd birthday.
Does your toddler space out?
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