Things My Three Year Old Says

Walk around my house on any given day, and you’ll find a three year old little boy who has the energy of an Olympic champion with the heart of a lion. He explores and learns every detail about things and asks all of the questions. Now, I’m not certain, but I think that this is probably like a lot of three year olds. Which is why I had the yearning to share some of the things he says with you. In case you can relate! 

Things my 3 year old says: 

Why? —>This is probably the most common word that comes from his mouth. It could be combined with anything. For example, while getting ready for church one morning, I told him to be careful not to jump on me because I had hot coffee.

Why? 

Because it will burn you if it spills on you. 

Why? ……………..

I mean… sometimes I don’t even know how long the “why’s” will go on, so I have to change the subject. Is there a parenting book for that? 

Are there toys there? 

Literally everywhere we go, he wants to know if there are toys there. I can’t really blame him. If my life revolved around having fun and taking naps, I’d probably want to know where all the toys were at, too. I must say it’s pretty cute to see him sincerely wonder, then either be full of joy when he finds out he can play with toys or downright disappointed when there aren’t. 

Are ants nice bugs? 

My boy is a natural born nature explorer. He loves all things dirt related. So mud, rain & bugs are a sure fire hit for him. It amazes me how he can spot a bug, any bug, from SO far away. However, when we see ants, they are deemed “nice bugs” unless they’re in my kitchen! 

Mommy, I never ate food. 

I hear this one a lot. The boy never eats when I need him to. He can definitely eat. But his idea of eating is snacking ALL DAY. Not only that, but he prefers the following food: peanut butter, cheerios, smoothies, meatballs, pizza, shredded cheese, chicken nuggets, apples, yogurt, green beans, popcorn, cheez-its, chocolate, and strawberries. Oh, and all things sugary. I could offer him some of his favorites at every meal, and he may or may not eat. Usually not. Then, at bedtime he says it. Mommy, I never ate

But seriously. I can’t. 

I don’t pee on the floor anymore. 

I suppose this saying can be true for both girls and boys, however, most boy moms can relate due to the fire hydrant that is in the male anatomy. 

Don’t get me wrong– he was fairly easy to potty train. It’s just that sometimes he forgot to ‘point it down’ and the fire hydrant scenario would ensue. So, it became incredibly hilarious to me when he said this one night while getting ready for bed. It went a little something like this: Him: I don’t pee on the floor anymore. Me: I know, buddy! You’re doing such a great job! Him: Why? 

There it is again, folks. The WHY. 

You know you’re growing up and your parents used to say, “because I said so” to you? 

Yeah, I swore I’d never say that. But so far I’ve failed at that swear-off! 

What are street cones? 

This one threw me for a loop because although I could quickly answer it, the conversation quickly got hi-jacked to even more questions as we navigated the streets of Kansas City in our minivan. I swear his eyes are always watching. He once asked me, “what’s that man doing on that sign?” It took me so long to finally realize he was talking about the crosswalk. The crosswalk flashes with the man when it’s OK to walk. 

What’s that danger sign mean? 

It doesn’t matter where we go or what we do, there is inevitably a sign that we need to know about. It could be the “no smoking” sign or the “in case of emergency, take the stairs” sign outside of elevators or the “help” button inside of an elevator. He spots these signs out of nowhere and demands knowledge about their meaning. 

Who helps a tow truck if he needs help? 

You guys… I didn’t have an answer for this one. Well, not one that was the absolute truth. I mean, I honestly didn’t know. And, by the way, my son will NOT take “I don’t know” for an answer. So, I did as any other parent would do… make it up! 

Because all tow trucks have daddy and mommy tow trucks to help them, right?! 

Sometimes my answers aren’t good enough for him, though, and he quickly yet imaginatively makes up his own answers. And they actually make sense! 

The kid is smarter than me. At three years old. 

What’s that noise? Is that ‘nunder?’ 

In our house, ‘nunder’ = thunder. We like storms, but not if it storms at night! Anyone else with me on this? I think it’s cute that his speech is really quite on-target, but he still says words incorrectly. 

It makes my momma heart scream, “never grow up, sweet boy.” 

Three is such an incredible age where kids soak up the world like a sponge, yet create their own understanding of the world through their senses and personalities. Conversations with my three year old are so intriguing and enlightening. Even though the “why’s” can happen so frequently, I am also in love with this age. 

At the end of the day, I am usually the one he wants to lay with him and read books. He wants back rubs and for me to play with his hair. He tells me things as we giggle and talk about the day’s events. I take in his sweet scent as I lay there and listen to his laughter turn into tired snuggles. 

These moments are magical. And I get to be his momma. And when I picture him grown up, I hope that he can always remember these moments with me.  

What does your three year old say to you?!

Kelly Burnison
Kelly is a wife, teacher, and mom of three. She has a very active 5 year old son, Banks, and 3 year old twin girls, Kate and Hayden. Originally a Wichita, KS native, she moved to Kansas City in 2010. After marrying her husband, Shaun, in 2013, they wasted no time starting a family. Having three kids in 2 years takes quite the amount of patience and task mastering. In between picking up toys, chasing monsters, playing in the dirt, potty training, singing songs and fixing meals that her kids don't eat, she loves exercising, coffee dates, wine, and binge watching the latest TV drama series. The busy-ness of life is what keeps her going, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. When life calms down and a date night ensues, Kelly and Shaun enjoy trying new restaurants in the KC area!