Cuddles, snuggles

 

 

You may be worried that your child is not talking as much as you think he or she should be. But it is very important not to let your worries get in the way of conversation with your child and having fun. You may have a job understanding what he or she is saying. Or he or she may not be saying anything at all, or not saying two sounds together when both of the sounds are fine on their own, like saying spoon as FOON, when sea and pea sound fine.

Some people may tell you that your child is being lazy or that he or she is attention seeking or trying to get you riled. You don’t have to listen.

Children want to talk, and talk like grown ups, just like they want to walk and run.

All the time you are together you can have fun and interesting talk and enjoy songs and stories and conversation. In what may be a surprising, paradoxical way, conversation is not the same as being able to talk.

The way you talk is important too.

There may be things which are important for you. You may think that your child is getting the wrong idea about something. If there is something which has to be said, keep what you say to little bits of information, one at a time. Listen to see if your child is understanding.

Or your child may want to tell you something important – about an animal or a flower or an aeroplane or some machine on the road or a dragon or something else of his or her imagination or some amazing ability like a spider or a fly walking upside down across the ceiling. Listen and react. Or get a book, and find out some more together. Or let your child be part of your adult conversation.

In these ways you are helping to solve your child’s problem.

A TV for the bedroom or a new app for a mobile device? Hmm.

What your child wants most is you.