Having the privilege of working on early intervention with some young children (1-3 years old), I have been able to be reminded frequently of the importance of a task that can be hard to do, both as a parent and as a therapist: WAITING. One aspect in communication that can be trickier to remember and follow is waiting! As parents and therapists, we hear and know how important it is to label what things are and what we are doing to help our children to understand the meaning of words. While this is one important piece of the puzzle, we also need to remember that our kiddos need the opportunity to attempt words and practice them themselves!
Even as a Speech-Language Pathologist who knows the importance of this, I will sometimes try to fill the empty space when it is quiet! Anyone who knows me, knows I can talk for hours! However, this does not allow the child I am working with the opportunity to really show me what he/she knows. It can be hard to sit in silence and wait for your child to say what they are wanting. It can be especially hard when we are in a hurry or already know what they want and they are starting to get upset. So, here are a few tips to help know how to give them opportunities to practice words in routines that you are already doing that does not take up extra time or put more pressure on them to communicate if they are already upset!
These are just a few times during the day that are usually not rushed and we are fully engaged with our kiddos and can practice our waiting skills as well as your child’s language skills! Please do not hesitate to reach out and ask if you have questions related to more opportunities to practice or if you have concerns about your child’s language development and use of words!
-Amber Petereck-