Speech
OK – paranoid parent klaxon – scuse me a mo while I have one of them infrequent FREAK OUTS about how my child is developing even though I KNOW children develop at different rates cos EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT innit, but still – lemme vent – just for a sec – then I’ll stop. OK? OK.
So on FB today I see a status update about a 2 year old (Moo is 20 months) speaking, by which I mean PROPER TALKING, in sentences and everyfink. And a friend t’other day was recounting a tale about how their child – just a month older than Moo – was starting to form sentences. Also, a few of Moo’s little friends are beginning some of that proper talk shizzle. And there was that girl in the park – the almost 2 year old – who said to me ‘I like mud, it’s exciting’. FFS.
Moo can say ‘cakey’. And ‘no’. And other random wordage. But no sentences. Not yet.
I am not one of those people who will map their child’s development using one of those chart thingies, cos, as I’ve already ascertained, EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENT. But, I can’t help but feel vaguely antsy about Moo’s speech and how it’s coming along. Or NOT coming along, as it were.
I’m sure there’s some gubbins somewhere that says kids Moo’s age should be learning 3000 new words a day or something, but I can’t be looking at that stuff or my head might explode. What I worry about is that I’m not doing the right things – I repeat words back to her, I simplify phrases, and encourage her to answer questions (‘What would you like to eat?’ ‘Cakey’ ‘Would you like a sandwich?’ ‘No’) and still fret that it’s not good enough. And then OF COURSE I compare her progress with her peers and freak myself out even more.
My daughter is amazing in every way, innit. And all them children that can speak in sentences already are also amazing. But really, what I’m trying to say here without coming across as a total cunt, is that I want my child to be MORE AMAZING than EVERY OTHER CHILD. Short of enrolling her in Mensa or, erm, forcibly hexing all children to not speak ever, that’s not going to happen. Not while her vocabulary consists mainly of sweet baked products and emphatic negatives, anyway.
I’m being daft, right? Moo’s just fine, yeah?
What else can I do to make Moo talk proper?
Everyone’s already said it but I’ll say it again – don’t fret hun. Lovely Moo will be just fine. Apparently little old me said first words amazingly early and then shut up like a clam only to come out with full sentences and loquacious vocab (still have same prob!) at age of 3 or thereabouts. Our Little Chap has a Little Mate who was hardly speaking at all at similar age (6mths between them) but a year later they’re both chattering away to each other in full sentences (and he’s still six months younger!).
Sounds like you’re doing all the right things to make it happen in Moo’s own time. x
Thank you missus, I really have been mollified by everyone’s comments and hopefully will not freak out any more – though am sure there’ll be something else to fret about next week… it never ends…
x
My eldest neice barely spoke before the age of 3, but just left school with straight A’s all the way in 9 A’levels. Do not worry – they sometimes just can’t be bothered, even if they know how to do it. The world is such an interesting place at age 2, so much to explore and do, she is obviously putting her focus elsewhere at the moment. My son however, did not walk for ages (yes, I was beating myself up about this fact at the time), but spoke like a parrot really early – they are all different. When the talking comes, you will be glad of the peace. Easier said than done, but try to relax. Before the age of 3, not even a speech therapist will entertain you (my elder sister tried with neice).
Thanks missus, I honestly feel so much better from reading people’s comments. Just a moment of parental madness but I think it’s passed. For now. Maybe. AAAARGH
x
I’m in the same boat. 21 months old and not a jot, at a push he possibly says up-up-up sometimes, maybe even mummy, but I’m not sure. I get so jealous when I hear other kids talking, I love all the nonsensical things they come out with – can’t wait to hear what bizarre things are going on in my little ‘uns head!
I went through this with my son. Hes three now and NEVER STOPS TALKING. My ears are bleeding!! And now Im worried about my daughter. She is 16 month and only saying three or four words. And I know she will learn as did my son…. but I still worry. I think its just part of the parenting deal. Moo will talk sounds like your doing all the right things. Im sure you do this anyway but singing LOADS of nursery rhymes can help as they are repetitive and familiar and help with rythem and rhyme that they nees for speech development
I really wouldn’t worry
she’ll soon pick it up and anyway, I always think my big baby boy is doing lots of good talking and then I listen to Louis and think ‘Bums, he’s really not that hot!’. Poor boy, he gets his point across and so does Moo x
She’s fine. You know she’s fine. As you said all children are different. Stop worrying. And yes you’re going to worry anyway, but still, stop!
(she’s fine……)
So I should stop worrying?
Baba is 19 months and can say shoes, bot bot and mine. Her favourite is AAAARRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH very loudly to anything she wants whilst pointing wildly and stamping her feet. At the same age my eldest could speak in sentences, they are all different and I am sure in another 6 months you will be praying for her to stop talking for a while to give your ears a rest.
LOL that’s what everyone has said
The only word my pair could say at two was ‘Bugger’. Of course you’re going to worry, because that’s what parents are programmed to do, but it doesn’t sound as if there’s much to worry about yet. If she’s still not talking aged 32 perhaps seek advice…
I would be so happy if Moo said ‘bugger’. I really would.
Bloody charts and all that shite! We are back from a visit to my daughter’s pediatrician. He is an older dude and you can just see the knowledge and experience spill out of his ears – that’s how much of a specialist specialist he is. Anyhoo, he spent the best part of an hour reassuring me and explaining that the charts (including those god awful growth charts) are misleading. Yes, misleading. And it’s best to a) looking at the baby in general and as a whole and b) take a long-term perspective. Unless there is a serious developmental delay (which you would’ve picked up by now), they all get there (a magical place of reason, good behavior, compliant and neat eating – like narnia
Oops! Let me finish. They all get there in the end. She will talk in sentences when she’s ready. Really. She will. Don’t worry.
I have long suspected that those charts are shite. Why have them though? WHY? Just to keep us all in parental terror? Bastards. I am waging war on chart bastards.
Don’t panic about talking. My daughter was so slow in talking, she is only (at two and a half) started saying allsorts and stringing sentences together. Every child is different. It took me a while to realise this but now I don’t care what the next child does. I do as it is nice seeing children develop but I don’t compare any more. You have a lovely daughter btw x
Ah thank you, yes she is v lovely most of the time. I must stop comparing, I know I’m a tit for doing so but it’s hard innit
x
I’m afraid I don’t have much advice to offer. My daughter is developmentally delayed and she still doesn’t speak in full sentences yet and she is a few years older than Moo. What I can say is that when the moment does come and she (Moo) does finally start speaking in sentences, it will mean so much more than if she did it right away.
Thank you, I’m looking forward to her first swear word, which I suspect is not long coming
At 2 Zac had about 20 words (inc animal and vehicle sounds-my friend is a speech and Lang therapist and says they count) and about 50 signs. And he was NOT interested in putting them together. We went to a drop-in at the local children’s centre and they referred us for speech therapy, and gave me tips to do while I waited for the appt.
The most useful for me was talking in 2 word sentences, so instead of “Zac do you want more juice” I’d get his attention “Zac,” then when he’s looking I’d say “More Juice?”. I felt ridiculous but within weeks he was putting words together.
Now he’s telling me things like “I went to the park and went on the swings and fell in a big muddy puddle and daddy said its ok don’t worry. Don’t worry mummy it’s only mud.” this is 9 months later.
This site http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/helping-your-childs-speech.aspx has loads of tips, but I’d really recommend your local CC if you have one, because the pamphlets etc are good to keep lying about.
But on a separate note I TOTALLY understand you wanting her to be a superstar, it’s like a much more important version of how I’m definitely still going to be discovered and get famous.
LOL yeah I am totally going to be famous as well, but until then I get to live vicariously through Moo, innit. Thanks for the link, that’s really helpful
Ooh yes and be grateful you’re not the mother of the twins on the Child in Time series (you know with Robert Winston studying the babies born in 2000). This child was the first in the series to form a sentence. It was, ‘No way, bitch’.
I can’t really remember and didn’t really notice at the time which is sort of awful I know but is partly because there were FOUR of them and only one of me and because I did spend a lot of time with them and knew what they meant. I thought they WERE speaking if you know what I mean. This baffled the health visitor as much as it is probably baffling you. I didn’t notice that number 3 hadn’t crawled at 11 months either. (OH did notice. No need to dob me to the social.)
Okay, so if I had noticed then I might have figured out that number 3 had dyspraxia earlier. But we sort of knew something was wrong and there’s not much you can do at 11 months except hope they catch up.
They’re all fine now. Honest. And even if they weren’t, the dyspraxia, which two of them have, has been quite beneficial for me (I have it too) as it has gotten me firmly off the competitive parent train (which always made me feel quite queasy. I’m sure I was sitting on it backwards). I’m guessing you would never have dreamed of being on it. My excuse is sleep deprivation and wanting to ‘do it all right’.
Anyway, the dyspraxia has done me the great favour of allowing me to engage with the children I have, not some sort of statistical templates. And it’s so much more fun this way. My kids are wonderful just as they are. I mean, they’re not the smartest or the fastest but they’re the ‘them’est in all their glorious individualness. I enjoy them so much more now.
I’m not saying never go to the doctor. I do stuff to support them and have taken all the advice going. But I don’t worry about developmental milestones any more, or books which say what children should be doing when. I suppose it’s because they’re older as well. But I feel released from a species of servitude. Mothers!! Unite!! You have only a pile of old bossybooks to lose.
Cathy x
I hate those developmental chart things. Hate them. They make me nervy and itchy. Possibly cos I am one of those competitive people who has to be the best at everything, including parenting. If Moo doesn’t measure up then I’m failing as a parent, surely? AAAARGH even typing that sentence makes me angry – I KNOW I’m being an idiot, so I’m going to shut up and take everybody’s advice and try not to care any more. While still doing all I can to make sure Moo is healthy and happy, obv. *falls over*
Don’t stop caring, just stop COMparing. See what I did there? But seeeeriously, if Moo’s happy and you’re having a happy time with her then that’s probably a good sign. If something’s really hard work (lots of rows) then you need to have a think (I think). If she suddenly goes green with orange spots (radically different to other children) then you need some advice. Always ask if you’re worried, that’s how I learnt the little I know. [thinking of writing parenting greetings card, don't know enough for whole pamphlet] I think it’s probably that simple. But then again, I’m in a good phase. Bad time to ask me stuff as I come off DEEPLY SMUG. My defence is, these moments are few and far between and I’m buggering-well going to enjoy them when they come. Cathyx
Apparently Einstein didn’t say his first words until he was five years old and he was sitting at the dinner table with his parents and asked them to pass the salt. It means nothing. Some kids take a little longer to get going but it has no bearing AT ALL on future abilities. You are clearly an intelligent Mum who converses with your daughter. One day she will be asking `Why?’ Non-
To carry on without my phone posting independently… Moo will be asking `Why?` non-stop and you will look back to these days with nostalgia! X
Mahahaahhahahah I can’t wait till she asks ‘why?’ It means I get to make stuff up. *evil laugh*
You know all them uvva muvva’s? Well sometimes, just sometimes, they stretch the truth just a teensy bit. Like “It took Hector 12 minutes to be fully potty trained” – turns out Hector gets to the potty too late 3 times in 5. Or “Jemima is talking in sentences” – that she may be, but are they recognisable to any adult other than a biological parent? Possibly not!
Moo sounds perfect. Oh god, she *is* perfect, right? Don’t get drawn into competitive parents or ‘advice’ books.
Oh, and don’t be venting when you have a 23 month old who never stops talking to you, or her imaginary friend!!
At ease. Go eat biscuits xx
Other mothers LIE?? WHHAAAAAAAAT? How DARE they! Bloody Hector and Jemima. Moo is perfect in her own little way, for sure, I’m just a worrier/overthinker as per usual. I’m off to eat biscuits now, suitably chastened… x
Einstein didn’t talk until he was 4
That’s what I just said! Ish.
Yeah but PHYSICS? Man alive.
You are allowed to panic and worry because it is your child. And like you said, you know every child is different. But it won;t stop the angst, and that’s OK, because worrying that much is what makes you a great mum.
Hooray! I’m allowed to panic! I was panicking about panicking for a moment there. It’s good to get such lovely reassurance though. Thank you
We are under a speech therapist and have been for months. My daughter is 22mo (19 months corrected as she was prem) and has no words. She has some signs (I was really paranoid about speech delay so we learnt simple signing) but as most of them are animal based, are not really much help. Our speech therapist is happy as larry and 3 months ago signed us off until she is 2 when she will review again. As someone said earlier, if there is some communication and understanding, however basic it doesn’t matter if it isn’t spoken. If any help, our speech therapist recommended playing copying. Not just copying sounds, but encouraging copying all actions in the hope it facilitates language. I am still hoping but she does now put both hands on her head if she hears someone exclaim “oh no!” so at least I know her hearing is fine :s
Ah bless her. Moo can say ‘oh no’ and generally does so when she ‘spills’ something on the floor and treads on it. Precious. Best wishes to your daughter, thanks for commenting
Z doesn’t talk in sentences, only single words and points a lot. I hope that’s normal!! He also misses the ends of words so he says stuff like coo for cook (as In I can cook!) and he can’t count to 10 yet ( apparently baby centre says they *may* be able to do this). My inlaws tell me that the kid down the street who is the same age talks about horses and everything (Grrrrrrrr!) I’ve kind of said to myself I’ll worry after he’s 2 and still not talking properly.
Oh how wonderful of the inlaws to point that out to you. Very helpful. I dunno what ‘normal’ is – maybe that’s the problem, that we get hung up on what they ‘should’ be able to do, when really, they’ll do it in their own sweet time? Z sounds fine to me
My son is three months old and all he says is “OOoooo,” and “Whaaaah.” Ridiculous! I hear letting children watch television for hours on end does wonders for their speech and social skills…*removes tounge from cheek*
Three months? Come on, he should be able to count to ten by now. You are being so complacent. Start drilling those numbers into him, yeah? Give the boy a fighting chance! And more TV. TV IS GOOD!
Be careful what you wish for – DS2 now wakes up and blathers on all sorts of crap about what Thomas, the helicopter and the helicopter’s wife (no I don’t know where that came from) were doing in his dream – but until recently he seemed to be way behind everyone else. I remember a friend telling me her son said virtually nothing until he was about 3 and then one day she picked him up from nursery and said, as she did every day, ‘And what did you do today?’ and instead of the usual monosyllables she got “Today I have mostly been playing with my good friend Simon” – which is one hell of a first sentence in anyone’s book. Moo’s probably just having deeper thoughts than all the other kids and waiting until she’s got something really genius to say to share it with the world – enjoy the peace while it lasts!!
LOL I love the idea of Moo having ‘deeper thoughts’ – I shall look at her with fresh eyes from now on
I can’t offer any practical advice, I’m afraid, but I reckon Moo is fine.
Just give the little tyke some time, and she’ll be as eloquent as she is temperamental, when those books wizz past your head.
Yeah, she’ll be swearing at me as well as throwing books.
Moo is lovely and doing great and you’re being paranoid BUT if you want something practical to do I’ve read that repeating back to them parrot fashion every nonsensical syllable they utter is very helpful. When she says ‘murrr’ you say ‘murrr’, when she says ‘booooof’ you say ‘booooof’, when she says ‘mmmaaaallllp’ well you get the idea. They watch your mouth form what they just said and that gives them information. For added hothouse points, you can both sit in front of a mirror and play that game together. Apparently, that maternal habit correlates with speech development. On the other hand, she will talk when she’s good and ready. By the time she is three you’ll be longing for a bit of peace. But you already knew this MoVo innit. xxxx
Yeah maybe. Just paranoia shizzle X XX X
My daughter didn’t really start talking until she was 2-and-a-half-years-old. I wasn’t worried because she was learning, just slowly. But, after getting tired of comments from my mother-in-law, I took her to a speech therapist who said Sophia was fine and there was no need to worry unless she got to 3-years-old and still wasn’t saying anything. Needless to say, my daughter’s speech really started developing not long after and now she’s really chatty and bossy (and I have been able to say ‘I told you so’ to my mother-I’m-law, although using slightly more tactful words).
Some advice I was given was to ask your child open-ended questions to encourage your child to say more than ‘yes’ or ‘no’. I was also told to play a ‘copy me’ game with her where I encourage her to copy what I do and then try to get her to copy different sounds and then words. I’m sure that Moo’s speech will develop when she’s ready; the important thing is that she’s able to talk by the time she starts school and children will all get there in their own time
Thank you, that’s some really helpful and practical advice. I’m sure Moo is fine, I’ll do whatever I can to help her innit
You know it. You’ve said it. They’re all different.
That said Moo sounds just fine anyway. Littlebit is 22 months now (19 corrected age, so we go somewhere in the middle of that i.e. 20.5 months for development) and is only just putting 2 word sentences together like “Bye Bye Dada” etc. We were seeing a Paediatrician regularly because of her prematurity but she was discharged a few weeks ago as he’s so happy with her. One of the things he was looking for was speech and he was fine with her development.
So you and Moo have nothing to worry about.
So don’t worry! x
So, I’m not to worry then?
Ah well I can’t help it sometimes, as much as I tell myself to stop being a ninny and shut the fark up, I just have to have a wee vent every now and again… thanks lovely, some wise words as per X
My son had about 5 words at 20 months. He turned two last week and in the past month there has literally been an explosion of language. Yesterday he came out with his first sentence (‘Mummy, I need your help!!!’ if you’re interested!). They progress and develop on a daily basis at this age, Moo must 120 days ish off being 2, that’s ALOT of days!x
Wahoo! That’s great, I’m so pleased for your son. What a fab first sentence! I’m pretty sure Moo’s will contain swearing
x
Our niece has just turned 2 and she is nowhere near talking in sentences, we know a 3 year old who wasn’t stringing words together in any manner too. They are all different – that’s the beauty of children as you said. They do things when they’re ready. We’ve been trying to get the little man to clap for months and nothing, I’m now convinced he does it with a gleeful smile on his face every time we leave the room. Enjoy her before the sentences come as you’ve still got the upper hand for now ; )
LOL now I am just imagining your boy clapping in an empty room and quickly stopping once someone comes in… little monsters, aren’t they? Never do what we want them to do…
My son is 2 and a half and he’s not a talker. There are times where I’m very very worried, but I just know he’s interested in other things. He started walking when he was 10 months old, he’s an adventurous runner and couldn’t care less about telling me how annoying I am using actual words. I think I’ll get worried when he’s 3, for now I’ll just enjoy the lack of demands, and requests. Spoken to doctor about it?? x x
Not spoken to doc cos really, I know she’s fine, and I’m just being a nutjob for worrying. She understands me and can communicate on some level so I reckon language will come when she’s ready. xx
i understand how you feel as a friend of mine had the same angst with her son george. she was stressing all over the joint and at the time i didn’t have rooster so didn’t really know what the answer was or that there even was an answer. she whipped him off for all kind of tests. then someone can’t remember who said to her maybe he is just taking it all in and when he is ready he will speak. and then he did. the first words i ever heard him say were outrageous. he had his wheel barrow in their garden and i ask what he had in it, expecting dirt, mud, earth or maybe nothing as he didn’t really say much normally and only to his parents but no what i got as an answer was, horticultural grit.
That’s brilliant. Think my son is the same. He never talks, and one day we were cuddling and my mum walked in he started screaming “Please leave us be”…I was so shocked
LMAO that is totes mazin, what a star
It’s natural to worry about our children’s development. It’s part of what makes us good parents. I worry that Harley isn’t developing skills as quickly as others especially after the health visitor at his 8month check up asked if he waved or clapped his hands. No he doesn’t. Then I got more worried because his little girlfriend waves. She waves properly almost like the queen, not even a baby wave. I was gutted. Ok she’s older than him….by 3 days, but she waves! Then I thought about it. Harley kisses us. He also pats my boobs when he wants milk. His girlfriend doesn’t do that. They all develop at different stages. I’m sure Moo will start to string words together in her own time. Rest assured, she is your daughter so she will be better than all the other kids whatever happens. She has your genes after all.
That’s the trouble – comparing them to other babies we know so well. Must stop doing that! I only drive myself mad. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve worried about the same thing for a long time! Vinay is 22 months and it’s only been over the last 3 weeks that his vocab has increased. No sentences yet. Oh, except for, ‘mama tum’ (mama come). Now I’m worried that he may need speech therapy!
Nah, he’ll be fine. The general opinion seems to be that they’ll talk – properly – in their own sweet time! Bless them. *bangs head against wall*
Dont panic, I used to talk to pops all the time about pointless things she soon picked it up. Everyone is different x
I can get more pointless if you think it’ll help
x
Dont panic!!! Burton didn’t start taling until he was 26 months old and even then it was only a handful of words and then about a month later it was lots and lots!!! now i cannot shut him up!! honestly i wouldn’t worry just yet as long as you don’t think she is deaf and it sounds like she can actually make sounds so ignore these other talkers, each child is different and v.,special
xx
Thanks lovely, it truly helps to hear everybody’s take on it, and I’m pretty sure she isn’t deaf, she’s just choosing to ignore me
xx
Oh MV, this is perfectly normal mummy behaviour! You are right, we always want our child to be the star, after all, they are our star. Sounds like she is just chilled out about it. I’m sure she tells you things in other ways than with words – and we just learn what their points/expressions/noises mean, thereby providing them what ever it is they are asking us for. Give her time, after all, she is only 20 months and yes, they are all individuals (although how annoying is that phrase some days!!??) my boy is 15 months and still not really walking, yet some of this friends the same age have been at it for 3+ months! Anyway, it’s not like she will be 5 and not talking is it!? They all learn at different rates. Pour yourself a rum and don’t worry!!
*pours a rum* Why thank you, I never say no to rum. Interesting that you say we learn what their expressions/gestures mean, I reckon you’re totally right and because I anticipate what she wants, she never actually has to vocalise it. She may even know the word for it but more often than not I might say it for her, for example. Man alive, she gets it all done for her! Lazy minx
I read somewhere that they started talking about 18 months so with Alexander I thought literally at 18 months he would start talking (not just words but sentenances). Anyway at 18months, zilch, nada, nothing. It took him a while and at 20 months was barely saying anything either so I wouldn’t worry just yet.
My second is now 22 months and probably has a better vocab than I do.
They are all different.
I’m going to start reading the dictionary to her as a bedtime story.
I had this exact same conversation with a friend who’s son is 20 months yesterday. He says all manner of good stuff and knocks together a couple of words at a time. My 19 month old says NOTHING. Except Dadada for EVERYTHING and she barely even sees the fecker.
We figured though, that they just level out at a certain age. My daughter is a climbing-running-athletic being, whilst 20 month old barely walks unaided. Kind of guess that at this stage they focus on the physical or the talking, and at some point they’ll be pretty similar verbally and physically. I think???
I have ‘friends’ who try to scare the crap out of me telling me she should be talking sentences in Russian by now. Jog on!
As long as Moo knows what you’re saying, does stuff at your request, knows what things are even if she doesn’t say them, which is where my daughter is at, then I reckon we’re ok.
I’m pretty sure when she does speak that I’ll be pissed off at having to knock the swearing on the head and will be wearing ear plugs a lot of the time. So we should cherish these quieter times??!!
Oh also, I think that our daughters are mostly one-on-one with us as we’re stay-at-home. We kind of know what they need and want without words being exchanged. There’s no massive need to talk yet. Does this all make sense? This is how I extinguish my paranoia anyway. Try not to worry, I reckon they’ll get there.
Yes you make complete sense, someone else commented with something similar, about how we anticipate what they want cos we know them so well, so end up saying it for them etc. Thanks for commenting, a lot of what you say is very reassuring. But, erm, Russian? Whatevs. MANDARIN is where it’s at, fo sho.
H only had odd words until a few weeks ago, he is 26 months. My HV said at his two year check when I was worrying that as long as they can communicate what they want, respond to basic commands etc there are no concerns. H’s first sentence was last night. “Mamma I need wee wee”. When I was changing him. Resulting him in weeing on me.
LOL well he did warn you
Oddly, Baby is the same age and is not talking anywhere near in sentences yet people remark on how good her speech is so I think you’re fine. Baby mostly says “swimming pool” or “juice please” though the second is no guarantee she actually wants juice. Just that she’s remembered some words in English.
The talking thing is overrated if you ask me. There is a famous family story about how my niece was sat in the back of my sister-in-law’s car aged about 2 and a half. Suddenly there was the sound of toy hitting floor followed by the exclamation “oh for FUCK’S SAKE there goes bunny-bun”.
That’s brilliant – I love your niece! – DS2 has uttered similar things, but fortunately since he can’t say a ‘k’ sound no one knew but me!
That did make me LOL out loud, so it did. Maybe this talking thing is overrated after all… heck no, even if Moo swears I shall still find it vair vair amusing
I love the honesty of wanting her to be more amazing. I’m the same way with my son. Ideas – read a lot, flashcards with pictures on them, watching TV also helps speech(!), ask a lot of questions. At the end of the day, though these are all helpful things to do , she will speak when she’s ready and then you’ll wish she’d just shut up for a blooming second. All kids pace at their own time, blah blah. My son said his first word at 9 mos and didn’t walk til 16 months and didn’t potty train until 3.5 years old. Some kids just do somethings quicker than others. Put the charts and books away. The so nothing but make you anxious. Make speaking and learning words fun – it’ll help. xx
Thank you Jenny, you are very reassuring which is great. Charts and books get on my wick so I shall banish them from this house. I can also do the reading/watching TV thing, that’s mostly what happens round here anyways
xx
I had two boys, one talked really early, the other really late. As you already recognise children develop at different rates. If she understands what you are saying (eg can you get your red shoes) then don’t worry. I would perhaps get her hearing checked out, just to be on the safe side. You sound as though you are doing everything you could do, don’t worry (easier said than done I know!!).
I’m sure her hearing’s fine, she just ignores me most of the time
I am now waiting for the blog – Why won’t Moo shut up?! I had a sister who my Mum swore started talking before she woke up and didn’t stop until after she was asleep lol.
When you find out let me know. I’m taking my 25 month old to the doc next week because all she says is wa wa. For everything!!
That’s Swahili, isn’t it?