Tucker gets into these ruts where he repeats the same phrase over and over again. His patience is short, so if he wants dinner it may be "Tucker eat food. Tucker eat food. Tucker eat food. Tucker eat food," the whole time the microwave is warming something up for him. Or it may be trying to change my mind about something like "Tucker get apple juice. Tucker get apple juice. Tucker get apple juice. Tucker get apple juice." (Even though I've already answered and said, "No apple juice now.)
Obviously that's a case of not liking my answer. But sometimes he repeats something just out of wanting to hear himself talk "What is this?" (Raisin.) "What is this? What is this? What is this? ..." I mean, the boy is holding up a food he already knows and asking what it is just for the sake of talking. It can get maddening.
I haven't figured out the right consequence for this behavior yet. I ask him to say things ONCE. I don't do what he wants me to do if he's being a broken record. I make him get down from the table if he's being aggessively annoying during a meal. But I do want to encourage talking, and am glad he's enjoying making conversation... but can't it just be varied conversation??????
