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This is interesting! I have been paying attention to myself since reading this thread and whilst I don't use third person generally, one time that I do is when my children stir in the night I say "mummy is here". It's not really a conscious thing but I guess it is because they are usually still half asleep and it makes it a clearer message? Will be thinking about this some more.
Ditto Jellyfish, I do that with both kids. When they cry, when they wake at night etc, it's "Mummy's here".
For a while DD referred to herself in 3rd person, but not get actual name, the nickname we have for her. Daycare didn't have a clue what she was saying lol.
I do a mixture but it is less frequent the older DS gets, last night he woke mega early and I went in and he had climbed up onto his sisters top bunk, I said "it's ok I'm here" and he said "I don't want you I want DD" :-) if it happens tonight I will say "mummy is here" and see if get better reaction.
Very interesting. I wonder what response you'll get tonight Wysiwyg?
I think using it also stems from how you refer to your other half - for me I always say to the kids "Go see Daddy" for example - never "Go see *****" where ***** is his name, and he does the same for me, so then I think that links to you calling yourself in 3rd person sometimes. When my parents are here - the kids often start calling us by our names, because they hear them alot more from my parents when talking to me or DH, when is DH and I talking to each other, we don't tend to use our names so much as there is us or the kids don't need to distinguish who you are talking to so much.
It was around 2 that DD started not referring to herself by her name - I remember because we were doing "Who is that clip clopping over my bridge" and she kept saying "DD" and then suddenly she said "It's me - DD" and after that was a gradual progression to her saying "I". DS I can't remember, he still says "DS" occasionally I think.
5:10 - I went in and I said "It's ok mummy's here" (he had climbed up with DD again) he said "mummy get me down" - so a better response but probably not scientifically valid (will try again using 'I' but I am hoping he gets over this climbing around in the dark soon). I said to him "I would prefer you didn't climb up there in the night" and he said "I just made a wish and I was up there"!!! What chance do I have against magic :-):
His your experiment going wysiwyg?
No more night time climbing thankfully :-)
That's great!