Can a kid be a hoarder?

[tj]

So that kinda seems harsh. And young to judge.

But can a 3 year old be a hoarder?

Recently P has started insisting on carrying a plethora of things with her everywhere she goes. It's one thing to insist upon carrying around her baby doll and her stuffed beaver (TWSS) and 3 books and a necklace and a bunny rattle and a soppy cup and a snack every single place she goes, including the bathroom, bed, the car, the couch, everywhere. But today she also carried around an empty applesauce cup, lid, spoon, and used napkin for hours, and cried for a long time when I took them away. She also cried when I took away her empty snack cup so I could wash it.

So.... I also have a family history, on BOTH sides, of hoarding. I have a hard time myself letting go of things that have any sort of emotional or sentimental attachment to them. But luckily I've never felt the need to hold onto trash.

Should I worry? Is this normal for 3? Am I over-reacting? Anecdotes?

[milano]

I wouldn't worry much unless she keeps doing it for a long while, with the trash. Kids do really weird things and usually it's just a phase. I don't think it's unusual for kids that age to have an entourage of items with them at all times. I feel like one of my sisters did this when they were toddler/preschooler age. Neither have hoarding tendencies now, 20+ years later.

J always makes sure we have his water cup and snacks and sometimes a toy anytime we go anywhere. And, currently, two skeletons.

What does she say when you try to take the trash away? Does she say why she wants to keep it?

[ovenrack]

I vote normal.

H doesn't do this, but when I look back at photos of my bedroom when I was a kid, it looks like a legit borderline hoarding situation. I think (most) kids don't have the clarity adults do, about extreme amounts of things being negative in some ways. Maybe?

[tj]

milano she doesn't really answer why she wants to keep it. Sometimes no answer at all, sometimes she says she needs to clean it. She never really answers questions though, and lies all.the.time.

[Dramaphile]

No advice, but Nugget's crib is basically a hoard. I wouldn't be surprised if her room is the same way (I always had a very messy room and I have trouble letting go of things) as she gets older. Currently she has 4 blankies (one of which is a twin sized one), like 8 stuffed animals, 2 or 3 dolls, a stack of books, an egg shaker, a plastic dog, a felt mat (also considered a blankie) and a bath towel in her crib. Somehow there is room for her to sleep in there... I think mostly kids are just weird.

[charlotte]

DS wants to carry about 30 items with him everywhere he goes at all times. But he hasn’t done it with trash. Probably normal... I’d give it several months and see if the trash thing passes.

[kona]

O does this. She gets on kicks where these bags of junk/stuff have to come everywhere. Then she seems to move on. Until she must carry a new set of junk/stuff around. I haven’t really been concerned by it.

[brandiewine11]

R tends to pick one or 2 things at a time to carry around but it's often dead leaves, squished flowers, rocks, etc. I can understand your concern though. I would just watch it and see if it's just a phase for now.

[tj]

Ok. But even, like, sneaking things out of other people's rooms to put on the floor next to her bed? That seems... normal??

[critter015]

Well, C hides things that belong to the other kids under her bed, but DH and I have just decided it is because she's being a jerk.