I know this may sound stupid, but I just want to make sure I'm not ignoring something that may be "real" beneath the surface. My 2 year old meows when in a new setting. He used to be very outgoing and would chat up anybody. Now he's like that sometimes, but other times, if a stranger approaches him, or he gets kinda shy, off he goes. He tilts his head up like he's going to make eye contact, but purposely moves his eyes to the side, and just says "meow meow meow". Is this a lack of self confidence or something that I need to address? Is this just him trying to get a laugh? Is this just what 2 year olds do? Any suggestions or thoughts from experienced moms?
Thanks for the peace of mind, lol. It's funny--just when I thought I'd had enough and wrote about it, it kinda phased out. He hasn't done it in a couple days now except when we visited a neighbor and she said hi....he hid his face in my leg and meowed at her just once. The neighbor said "I don't have a cat, but I have a dog" and brought the dog in for us to sit down and pet. I guess it is just a normal little thing, and I'll make sure we play plenty at home, and work to make sure he's comfortable and confident enough to not do it in public. Thanks moms.
My 3 year old is a puppy. My 5 year old just left his kitten stage. :) Enjoy it while it lasts - because now he is< "too big for all that."
S.
I have a 3 1/2 year old who not only meows, but rubs against us like a cat. They are all just weird at this age (the best entertainment ever!) I'd bet he's just trying to be funny or just trying to figure out how to deal w/others. Write it down and use it later to embarass him as a teen!! :)
When I was little I had an imaginary "friend" and I want to say his name was larry (it was my cousins name).
I talked to him all the time. Got frustrated when my parents couldn't see him and we played all the time.
Other than it being the running joke for the rest of my life (they still ask me if I have lunch with Larry...haha) I turned out to be somewhat normal.
My 2 yr old...for the record...likes to eat dog food, eat his food off the floor like a dog...and wants to go outside and play with them. He's a social kid...and since we don't have other children in the house (my other two are grown) that's the way he plays (he DOES go to day care during the day).
I can think of worse things a kid can do other than eating from the floor and meowing...
Now if he starts high school and he's still doing it...well...
Smiles to you hun. I wish you well.
A.,
There is actually a syndrome called "Cri du chat" (French translation of "cry of the cat"). But honestly, what you have described does not sound like your child has this syndrome. Cri Du Chat is a pretty serious disorder, but you would have detected it way before now. Here is some basic info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cri_du_chat
I had never heard of this. My mom is a diagnostician and we actually saw a child with this syndrome at a mall. The child was visibly upset and was wailing at the top of her lungs and sounded exactly like a cat.
Anyway, I hope this info is not disturbing. I'd rather have more info than needed, as opposed to less.
Take care,
A.
he just has a big imagination, my daughter does the same thing. as long as its not interfering with your normal living then i wouldn't worry
My daughter is sometimes a dog named drake, and sometimes a horse named george.
It's probably easier for him to deal with a new situation or people when he's a cat instead of himself. Did you ever see "Big Daddy" with Adam Sandler? The little boy wore sunglasses to become "invisible" when he went to a new preschool because he was scared. Plus, maybe you laughed, or the new person he met laughed when he did this, and he knows it's funny and cute. If you feel really concerned, maybe just ask his pedi at the next appt. and see what she thinks. Otherwise, just know it's his way of adjusting to new things/people.
.
My 2.5 year old often runs around the house barking, and sometimes tries to drink out of a bowl like our dogs do. I was a little worried that he was spending too much time with the dogs, and not enough with other kids, but it seems to have just been an early sign of make believe. About a week ago, he suddenly started playing make believe games with me - mostly picnics where we "eat" his toys. I think it's fine.
I have three girls and they all take turns being animals. Anywhere from a dog to a pet monkey. The worst part of being a dog is when they go to the front door and bark and want me to let them out so they can go outside to pretend to use the bathroom. I don't mind that at home but I refuse to let the youngest walk like a monkey and the older one hold her hand when we are out shopping!!
Here is what I heard on Dr. Phil several years ago, when I was worried about my daughters horse phase! He said that children playing pretend like that shows a great imagination, and that they feel comfortable with you in being whoever they want to be. It is a good sign of intellegence he said, and that we should be okay with it, UNTIL..it interferes with acceptable social behaviors. For example, a woman stated that when a waitress asked her son what he wanted to drink..he meowed at her, and Dr. Phil said that was unacceptable. It is our job to teach them when imiaginary play is fine...even that we should get down and pretend with them, in an effort to reinforce acceptable limits. But, that they should not be allowed to be an animal to avoid learning appropraite behaviors..he has to answer you nicely when asked a question for example..or when meeting someone, pretending to be an animal is not acceptable etc..! Anyway, I was fortunate that my daughter never pretended to be a horse unless she was playing at home, but it sounds like you could just work on teaching him when it is alright, and when it is not. I am sure he will learn and figure it out in no time:) ~A.~
Yes this is what some children do. My son who is now 5 has a second personality if you will, his name is Elvis and he is a puppy. He loves it I think they just like the attention. Its probably easier for your son to act like a cat when he doesnt know people.
