One of the most important lessons we can teach children today is to speak with intention. Instead of simply saying whatever comes to mind, children can be encouraged to think about what they want to say before they say it. Do you know how magical it would be if your child only called your name when they had something of substance to say?
Children are obviously not going to learn this overnight and we have to be diligent about gently reminding them to think about what they want to say, to breathe, and speak slowly and deliberately so that we can understand what they’re saying, and to truly listen when others are speaking.
Remember to be GENTLE in your approach! Children learn best when the task doesn’t seem like a punishment. It may seem like a lot for a small child, but skills like these are developed during youth so that they become second nature in adulthood. If children can memorize the lyrics to songs that play on the radio and repeat all of your private phone conversations, trust me, they can learn how to speak with intention.
Part of speaking with intention is avoiding baby talk when conversing with your child. The earlier your child is able to communicate with you clearly and with meaning, the easier it will be to talk through frustrations later on. For example, if your baby is pointing to a bottle and can’t think of the word for it or babbles “bah bah”, point to the bottle and ask “would you like your bottle?”… Wait for a response and if you get some kind of signal that your child wants it then say “Yes, I’d like my bottle please!” The point is to start verbalizing things early on and to give your child the tools needed to build sentences that make sense. Parents who have school-aged children will notice that their children’s speech tends to mature after spending time with other children. Your presence has the same effect. How you communicate with your child will determine how they communicate with others.
Repetition is the mother of all learning. So just as you would encourage your child to say please and thank you daily, you would do the same with their speech. Encourage your child to speak in whole sentences instead of one word answers.
Remember to be your child’s biggest cheerleader! Verbalize how pleased you are when they ask for something respectfully, using the right words, and or in a full sentence. Positive reinforcement will get your child excited to share their thoughts with you! Next time, we’ll discuss five things to keep in mind when encouraging your child to use positive speech.
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