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Does your child have Interruptitis?

Is your chatty kid driving you nuts? Some kids master the art of interrupting long before they learn patience. Here’s how to manage at every age

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Originally published in Today's Parent April 2012

Photo by Jamie Grill/Getty Images

As the mother of three kids under the age of eight, Susan Lieberman knows a thing or two about interruptions. “When my six-year-old wants to tell me something, she wants to tell me now,” she says. But as a family therapist who runs workshops on parenting, she also knows this is normal behaviour for children. “They’re not doing it to be annoying or obstinate, they’re just really excited. Everything is huge in their world.”

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should relinquish your right to finish a sentence. If parents are giving their children enough time and attention, kids should not be allowed to interrupt, says Lieberman. So how do you get them to stop? Here’s our age-by-age guide with tips and techniques.

Read on for strategies for all ages:
Ages 3–4 >
Ages 5–6 >
Ages 7+ >
What parents can do to help >

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