Talking over you during conversation?

MommyToAshley wrote: Ashley has started a new bad habit of trying to talk over DH or I when we have a conversation. She will do this when we are on the phone as well. I think it is because she wants all the attention. She has been really good about learning all of her other manners, so I have tried to teach her that it is good manners to wait until we are done talking. I know she understands, but she still continues to do it. She gets plenty of attention throughout the day, so that is not the problem. What do you think I should do? Ignore it? Discipline for it? Keep reminding her it is not good manners?

5littleladies replied: I would just keep reminding her it is bad manners for now. If in the future she keeps it up and you know she knows she shouldn't be doing it then maybe you could start giving her a time out for it, but for now I think a reminder should do. I had that problem with my firstborn. I think they just like being the center of attention.

1valentinemom replied: This sounds exactly like Elizabeth! We have been reminding her gently to wait for her turn to talk and to say excuse me. For the rest of that particular conversation she will say excuse me and then when we let her speak she will just babble baby talk loudly and laugh. It is quite annoying but I think she will outgrow it. It mainly started when the new baby was born. Also, my husband is gone working much more now so we don't have much time together as a family. She gets jealous when he is home and I am talking to him instead of to her.

If it continues or becomes worse I will probably start to give time outs. I love the 1-2-3 Magic book and have been using that system successfully with her.

Good Luck!

TANNER'S MOM replied: I have been thru this alot. With 4 kids all wanting to tell me something at once.
What I have done is simply say over and over...I am speaking, that is rude.

Until they get older and then the rule is. They interrupt each other or us then must wait to be the last person to talk. They must wait until I say their name...Justin you may talk now.

But as little as Asheley, just keep reminding her in the same way everytime, and I have heard to never answer them with the answer to the question..just keep saying I am speaking..

Good Luck, this is a lesson alot of adults haven't learned..you should hear my office...lol

ediep replied: Jason does this too, although I am not sure he understands to wait his turn. my neice still does this sometimes and she is 5.

I guess, just keep reminding her. Since she is such a polite litttle girl, I'm sure she'll want to do the polite thing.

DansMom replied: My sister and I didn't stop doing this until we were teenagers I think (if then!). I can remember my mom's frustrated refrain of "don't interrupt!" throughout my childhood. I'm sure the things you talk about with each other are boring for Ashley to listen to, so she'd rather talk about what she's interested in. Daniel hasn't started doing this yet, but he's not as far along verbally as Ashley is.

kimberley replied: the boys were like this too at that age (still are sometimes). they really didn't understand why it was wrong, so i would just remind them it isn't polite to talk when someone else is already talking. they always complied but would forget 5 minutes later lol. kids will be kids.

loveydad replied: Tracy and the twins try to do this too. Tracy usually succeeds and i end up telling her "Tracy, go watch tv!" or something. *sigh* but the twins, we have a chips system, and they get chips taken away for bad behavior, so I just take a chip. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it works to well - Kel waited five minutes to tell me that Vincent had fallen down and was hurt one time.

superlydia replied: I'm trying to teach my daughter that if I'm adults are talking she can make it know that she wants something by taking my hand. Then I will aknowlege that I know she is waiting by squeezing her hand or putting my other hand on top of hers. Sometimes she remembers and sometimes she doesn't. I just have to remind her that she needs to be patient.

coasterqueen replied: You mean Ashley just now started doing this? Kylie does this and we just try to explain to her she needs to wait, etc.

chloe&tysmommy replied: I thought I would post to let you know that we are going through the same thing!!! I just have to tell her to wait for her turn and to quiet down a bit b/c she tends to yell when no one pays attention to her

atlantamomof2 replied: Maggie does this too and can be, at times, obnoxious about it. Especially when we're out somewhere. I've just started something new with her: If she needs something while I'm on the phone or talking with someone she has to say excuse me (duh?!), then I hold up my index finger to let her know I heard her; then she has to WAIT until there's a break in the conversation(which I'm not sure she would have understood even 6 months ago) and I will see what she needs. It's worked really well for the past week. We'll see about next week! But the "reminding" turns into nagging real quick(at least in our house) and I hated hearing myself saying the same thing over and over and getting frustrated, embarrassed, etc. so I'm happy with this new plan. It might work for you, who knows?