Strange toddler behavior- obsessing about stories and needing things to be sung to her?

My daughter will be 3 in June. She’s very bright and curious, but for the past few months she will harp on something and ask to be told a story about it over and over again along with songs about it too. An example from today: I left something that we both put together out on our driveway for neighbor to pick up, but the garbage men picked it up thinking it was garbage. I told her that I was upset because of what happened since she asked what was wrong. I had to repeat the story about 10x throughout the day (about me putting the bag of things outside, that the garbage men picked it up and took it to the dump, that I had to go back out and buy the items again so I can leave them out for neighbors tomorrow). She then asks my husband to ‘sing’ her a song about it where he basically tells the same story, but as a song. She asks for songs more often than the stories. By the end of the day, she’s singing the song about whatever she decided to harp on that day. She’ll want to hear the story for the next few day’s as well and then something else will come along and the cycle starts all over again. Other examples are when she overheard that her cousin accidentally ate chapstick or she saw a worried expression on a character in a book. We have to make up a story to explain it to her. Is this just how she processes things that might upset her? Could this be OCD so young? She hasn’t had any trauma in life, she’s a happy and goofy kid. I’m just not sure if this is something I need to bring up with a doctor or just a quirky trait of hers. Anyone else have a child that does something similar?

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COMMENT (4)

Mo

Posted at
Sounds normal to me.

🍓

Posted at
You know that tick tock with the never ending story told by the kid? I feel like this is something similar. I'm sure she will grow out of it. Since it's fairly new, I would just keep an eye out or not engage in as far as making up songs about it to kind of curb the obsession but I think it's quite normal for kids to fixate on things especially new things or emotions or concepts. It's good shes interested enough to want clarification though! If anything that's an advanced trait wanting the story told different ways(you never know what her little head is imagining when you tell or sing her a story!)

Be

Posted at
Sounds exactly like my 3 year old. Granted, me & my hubby have some emotional/mental issues (all under control) so I watch my kids for triggers all the time, but this has been a norm in our house & I've just chalked it up to odd kid stuff. Lol.

Ch

Posted at
Yeah, I teach older two year olds and this sounds pretty normal to me. Personally, I think they’re just starting to realize they can recall and start conversations about things like that! When I get annoyed by it, I try to remember that they’re using and practicing a new skill they’ve learned. But if it really starts to bother or worry you, you can totally talk to her doctor about it! You know your kid best!