Toddler refused to be called by real name

[Anonymous]

This started a few weeks ago where my 3 year old DD decided she no longer wanted to be call by her real name. She demands everyone to call her by the name of an animal character in a movie. I know this is probably another stage that will pass, but it is getting frustrating for me. Telling her I will only call her by her real name results in a meltdown. Should I just let her continue to have her fun or do I need to be correcting her?

[Anonymous]

I’m split. The second kids start with tantrums is the second I stop with X. I don’t play those games.

Otoh, it’s a phase and will pass and it sounds like she has a vivid imagination.

[Anonymous]

Really, folks, parenting should have as light a touch as possible while keeping kids safe and motivated to do well. That means don’t shut them down. The scars from your controlling impulse during their brain growth years will last a lifetime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This started a few weeks ago where my 3 year old DD decided she no longer wanted to be call by her real name. She demands everyone to call her by the name of an animal character in a movie. I know this is probably another stage that will pass, but it is getting frustrating for me. Telling her I will only call her by her real name results in a meltdown. Should I just let her continue to have her fun or do I need to be correcting her?

I would play along. Funny my Mom hated her name and refused to be called it ( a very old lady name that probably will make a comeback) and they had to go with her nn. Nobody calls her by her "real" name since age 2 and she is almost 90 now!

[Anonymous]

I call my daughter (5) by whatever character she is at the moment. Sparkle princess rainbow? Would you like peas or carrots for dinner? It's funny and she feels like she is being supported by me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I call my daughter (5) by whatever character she is at the moment. Sparkle princess rainbow? Would you like peas or carrots for dinner? It's funny and she feels like she is being supported by me.

My dd is 13 now and I used to do the same. She goes by her given name now, but is still very creative and theatrical.

I say go with it, but if she’s rude or tantrums if you forget then give it a break until she can be polite about it again.

[Anonymous]

I'd go with it. Doesn't seem like a hill to die on to me if she is otherwise listening to you and doing what she needs to do. It's not like she's going to forget her name or otherwise suffer from it.

I might nudge her a little bit in a calm moment with something like "Oh I found Larla's doll. Do you know where she is, Pumba?" But I think putting a foot down about would just prolong the phase.

[Anonymous]

Just call her hey or you. What a dumb thing to get upset over with a 3-year-old!

[Anonymous]

What's the name? Come on op, we are dying to know!

[Anonymous]

She knows this is getting under your skin. I am a pretty strict parent but would not have an issue calling my 3 year old Elsa, or whatever she asked.

[Anonymous]

A 3 year old is not a toddler. Quit infantilizing. Carry on.

[Anonymous]

Pick your battles with your kid.

This one is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Oh hey! It’s me......Flippey (Short for Flipper the dolphin). I apparently insisted on this for a while when I was a similar age. Sometimes I still get made fun of for it. I assure you I went back to Emily after a while

[Anonymous]

I think the issue was not that mom has a problem using a made-up name it’s the tantrums that come when she doesn’t use it. Come on folks, we all know we would forget to call her her imaginary name once or twice. The tantrums are not OK and I would tell the three-year-old that imaginary name is going to be on hold until she can be nice about the times mom forgets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pick your battles with your kid.

This one is not worth it.

+1