# Pronouns mixed up?



## momofsage (Dec 31, 2006)

Does anyone else have this going on in your house? My 2.75 y.o. dd refers to herself as "you" and to everyone else as "I" and "me." In a way, it makes complete sense, since that's what what everyone is calling themselves and her. And it is surprisingly difficult to explain the proper use of pronouns when you can't use any for fear of confusing her further.

I guess I'd like to know that I'm not alone here? And that she won't eventually have too much trouble learning how to use pronouns correctly?

Thanks!
Jen


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## unityco (Jan 17, 2007)

I was just contemplating posting a question about the same thing! I'll be watching with interest.







:


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## Daffodil (Aug 30, 2003)

My DD did exactly the same thing, and so did my niece. DD got them sorted out at about 2.5, but I think my niece was closer to 3. Interestingly, both of them have younger brothers who never had much pronoun confusion. I think hearing an older sibling getting addressed as "you" and answering with "me" or "I" must help them figure it out.


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## Limabean1975 (Jan 4, 2008)

I thought all kids did that! Sounds like I am wrong, but it is certainly normal. I would say most kids do it for a while.


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## LuxPerpetua (Dec 17, 2003)

Mine is 2 and she definitely has pronoun confusion. I'm just waiting it out . . . I'm sure it will fix itself eventually.


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## alicia622 (May 8, 2005)

DS continually refers to himself as 'you' although he's pretty good with s/he and his/her.


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## zoie2013 (Mar 31, 2007)

I read in a neurological dev book that this is common and normal. I think the book was called, "What's going on in There?"


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## PreggieUBA2C (Mar 20, 2007)

Ds1 and ds3 didn't, and ds2 did briefly, BUT they ALL refer to me with 'him', 'his' and 'he.' I guess with all the male pronouns around here, they just don't hear enough of me being referred to to catch onto _my_ pronouns being different







. If they don't call me a 'him', it's because they are calling me 'mummie' and dh calls me that to them obviously, too, and then calls me by my name otherwise, which they know. They have no problems with proper gender pronouns when referring to women/girls outside of our home though.

I guess I'm just one of the guys?







(or maybe the smilie that wishes she had more recognition of her femininity and the occassional break from metal and horse play...







)

Ah well, I can hope for daughters-in-law to balance the boat... maybe







Hopefully I regain my 'her' status by then







.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

Both my boys reversed for quite a while. But it got straightened out. It's nearly impossible to teach as to try to do it you have to reverse.

Just model it correctly and it'll come with time. If you want you can correct..so she says "you want apple" and you say "oh sweetie, you mean "I (take her hand and pat herself) want apple" but really I'd just let it go. She'll sort it out.


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## rinse_repeat (Feb 16, 2008)

My 3.75 year old still confuses 'her/she' 'he/him'

I think it's pretty normal.


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## 3littlebirds (Jan 29, 2005)

our 2.5 mostly has it figured out now. i was thinking i'd let him work it out on his own, but it was taking sooo long that we're trying to help out a bit. if he say "you threw the ball in your room," i'll ask "i threw it?" or "who threw it?" and then he'll self correct. i also tap my own chest when saying "i" or "me." anyway, it's helped a lot and now he rarely mixes up his pronouns or, if he does, he self corrects before i say anything.


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## basmom (Jun 4, 2006)

Totally "developmentally appropriate" ( I don't love the term). Pronouns are so hard to teach. Children do't "get" that they have to switch them when trying to imitate a sentence. I have been in many "arguments" with 2 year-olds over who's turn it was! ("Tell me, _my turn_" and then I'll hear "NO! My turn!")

Just try narrating what you're doing sometime when your child is watching
ex. "I'm drinking" "I want some cake"

or, narrate what your child is doing
ex. "you are jumping" "You are playing"


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## kbchavez (Jul 20, 2006)

My 3 yo ds still does this. I suspect it is more prevalent in only children because they overhear less conversation between other people. It seems natural that they learn this by hearing two people talking together, but when they are conversing with one other person they only hear themselves referred to as "you". Children who are more inward, who are less likely to listen to conversations that don't include them, are also probably more likely to do this for a longer time.


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## Xoe (Oct 28, 2007)

*It's HER World at my house!!!!*

My 3 year old is killllling me with "Her wants to play." "Her has the ball." "Her, her her!!!" Arrrrrgh! Can somebody come save me from "Her" land?!?!? And it's weird-- she figured out how to use every other pronoun correctly at a very early age. But when we ask DD to use "she" in reference to her baby sister, she says "Nooooo....I like saying 'her" better." Arrrrrrrrrghhhhh!

xoe


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

sounds normal to me... our 3.5 year old had this confusion. something I did to help him understand the distinction was to say " M___ says, I am playing trains, but Mom, you are playing blocks," emphasizing the I and you, adjusting to whatever the confused pronouns are doing at the given time.


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## annexk8 (Nov 22, 2005)

My DS definitely does this. I think it might partially stem from the fact that I'm constantly referring to myself as "Mommy" to him as I'm narrating our day, so I've really tried to switch to saying "I" or "me" for myself and "you" for him.

It's led to some really cute sayings, though, like when he came up to me after a post-nap meltdown and said, "you're not sad anymore."


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## cyndimo (Jul 20, 2005)

DS (2.5yo) does this, though it's getting better and is usually when he's getting tired. I must admit, though, hearing him say "I carry you to the car" or "I hold you" is totally sweet!
He's pretty good with gender pronouns - it's just "You" and "I" that get confused sometimes.

Anne - I sometimes end up with funny sentences like "Mommy is taking my clothes off now."







And, since we have two moms (the other is Mama), it can sound quite risque!

- Cyndi


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