Toddler asking me to talk for stuffed animals

This is totally normal kid behavior, though it's understandable to find it annoying. My 4 year daughter does this, and when I talk to other parents of kids 3-4 it's the same story. My daughter also asks me to make up a story, and then dictates the entire plot. In both cases I play along for as along as I can take it, and then redirect to another activity.

hi, i'm sure that a psychologist could explain what is going on developmentally for your daughter, but it seems completely normal to me.  I'd urge you to play along with her requests which are not exactly major.   I promise you that with all things related to your child, this too shall pass.   Just try to not be annoyed and be playful with her.   This is not a fight you should be fighting since there will be other more important issues later!   I know you're feeling annoyed but I so wish I had a little one to play with right now!!!!

I SO remember this phase. My husband and I still laugh remembering my older son's mandates on how/what to play and say when he was just your child's age. Our very favorite, his order to us as he sat with legs under the rocking chair, as if driving a forklift: "You say: 'It's not a good day for forklifts.'" He is now 29. He long ago stopped driving an imaginary forklift and ordering us around.

My wise grandmother's advice about parenting applies here. "When you think you can't stand it any more, it changes."

If you have not yet read "The Happiest Toddler On the Block" I found it very useful with my grand twins at that age. They often feel so small and helpless. the author , a pedeatrician has techniques that really work.

My daughter makes me do this all the time. Yes, it's boring and drives me up the wall. I do set time limits but otherwise play along since it's creative play and harmless. I have happy memories of games I played with my parents that surely weren't their first choice.

Could you think of this as one socially appropriate way that your toddler is trying to exert control over her life.  Toddlers have so little real control over anything. There are a lot of games that toddlers want to play that aren't much fun for adults, but sometimes worth playing them with their "rules" for short periods of time. You could still set limits on when you're willing to do this, and if you don't feel like you can muster up the willingness to repeat her words, then just say: "Right now, I don't want to play the talking game--but I will do it...." Then, when you have the mental energy and willingness, embrace her game--ask her: "what should I have the toothbrush say?" "can you help me know the right words?" If she is frustrated with you for getting it wrong, then you could say: "I'm sorry--if you want me to say it differently, can you ask me in a calm voice?" Then you are giving her the message that you'll cooperate with her if she is polite--this is different than giving in when she's fussing at you for getting it wrong. And if she can't ask politely, then you could say: "Right now, I need to take a beak, because it's not fun to play when you are fussing/whining.  We can try again later." Then you could walk away and ignore.  For me, it always made a difference if I could go into something with the mindset that I was going to play x game (even if I didn't like that game) for 5-10 minutes in an enthusiastic and child directed way. Then when I was done, I'd say that and finish the game.   Hope this is helpful. I know how hard it is to have buttons pushed in this way by toddlers. But maybe if you think about it differently, it's not so bad that she has a script for this game with you.  

Unfortunately totally normal, you just described my 4 year old's favorite activity to a T. My least favorite. I just play along and as another poster indicated, redirect or say I have to start dinner or something when I've had enough. 

My 3-year old has been doing this as well. He is very bossy when I play with him. He will often seem like he wants to give choice ("Pick a color"), but in the end, he only lets me 'choose' the color he doesn't want. With stuffed animals, he also wants to dictate the sounds I should make for them. Are you concerned that this behavior is being bossy or selfish? It also seems developmentally natural at this stage. I haven't minded, but if he is displaying a lot of bossiness, I will tell him that if he keeps acting this way, then I don't want to play with him anymore and remind him that his friends might not want to play with him either if he doesn't give other people a chance to do things. Usually redirection works for us.

Yep. My 3.5-year-old’s favorite thing to say right now is “You shouldn’t know.” As in... Her: “Did you know [caterpillars turn into butterflies/yogurt is made from milk/these are my favorite undies/etc., etc.]?” Me: “That’s true, love, you’re so right.” Her: “No, you shouldn’t know.” It’s like a trap I keep forgetting to avoid. Of all the ways these entirely dependent toddlers try to exert some small amount of control over their lives, these are some of the most innocuous ones, albeit crazy-making. They just want things the way they want them, and they’re learning to regulate the HUGE feelings of disappointment and frustration that come with not having things exactly the way they were imagining while they need so much help to make those things happen. Or as my kid yelled the other day, “I AM FED UP WITH YOU TELLING ME THINGS I ALREADY KNOW.” When I’m in the right frame of mind for it, I just have to laugh. When I’m having a harder time, I take a deep breath and sometimes have to leave the room (which provokes a fresh round of wailing: “I AM ALL ALONE!”). Anyway, just a long way of saying that you’re definitely not alone.