9 signs that you’re the parent of a four year old

Four year olds are a total breed apart from children at other ages.

Two year olds have the terrible twos (well, many do, we seemed to avoid that one).

Three year olds become threenagers.  We had an extremely challenging little boy compared to normal when N turned three (only a month thankfully).  Saying no to everything, wanting and doing the opposite of everything.  Just generally challenging and testing.

And now N’s four, there’s a whole different ballgame going on.  I’m loving this age.  You can have brilliant (if strange and sometimes challenging) conversations, imagination, role play and problem solving is really getting going, and from other parents of four year olds, it seems to be generally a fairly easy age compared to some previous tantruming years.

But there’s some defining moments during this year, which tells a parent that they have a four year old.

9 signs you’re the parent of a four year old when:

You’re singing and humming along all day at work,  then realise that it’s the song from the children’s song dvd your child’s been watching on repeat.

You know all the words to Peppa Pig and can do the accents of at least 4 characters.  And can recognise tv programmes from the same production company by the voiceovers.

You get up earlier than your alarm to find your four year old making their own breakfast…and/or leaving the detritus behind.  The fridge door open, an empty yoghurt pot, chunks cut out of the cheese, hacked into butter and crumbs in the living room.  Not forgetting the used baby wipe left on the work surface.

You find stickers all over you, the OH, your tablet, smartphone, laptop, fridge, door, the washing machine, the bottom of your shoes….because you’ve been good.

You worry about what they’ve told nursery school/preschool staff.  N has a tendency to try and trick people.  I don’t think he’s aiming to lie, he just wants to test if he can trick people.  But it’s very worrying what truths, observations or stories he might tell the staff at nursery every day he goes in.

You spend a lot of time googling answers to random questions that you’ve run out of creative answers for….unless you’re of the ‘whatever’, ‘I don’t know’ disposition when you get sick of their questions.

You always pick up the right shoe and right sock first when helping the 4 year old get dressed.  It saves so much more time arguing that you’ve picked up first is what will be going on first, then having to keep the peace and do the right first for the sake of getting out of the door first.

You worry about whether parents will keep their children away from your four year old after hearing that he’s been showing off his dancing moves.  Disturbingly, N’s been taught some not particularly flattering or age appropriate moves by his dad.  I’m hoping he doesn’t do these in public, and will have grown out of them by the time he starts school.

You get lots of spontaneous hugs and kisses, and they’re not sloppy ones.  They’re not just reserved for you.  Everyone gets them…family, friends, nursery staff, the dog.

What else would you add to the list?  What were your children like when they hit four?