![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/speech-expert-warns-parents-of-mistake-that-can-prevent-child-saying-first-word/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/1_Boy-playing-with-construction-blocks-while-his-mother-working.jpg&description=A speech expert has issued important advice to parents on helping your little one learn words, warning there's one habit that should be avoided as it can halt progress As a parent, watching your little ones reach new milestones is one of the most exciting things about raising children. Rolling over, smiling, crawling, walking, and talking are all achievements no parent will forget when their child does it for the first time and many parents feel anxious when their little one is taking just that little bit longer to reach certain milestones in comparison to others. Many parents worry about their children's speech and one speech expert on TikTok shared why how you encourage your toddler to talk could be doing more harm than good. Moira, a speech-language pathologist, and Mum of two, said, "Did you know, as parents, our natural instincts when talking to our kids are often hampering their ability to quickly learn lots of words?" Using "say mama" as an example, Moira explained that encouraging children to say specific words adds pressure and could be hindering progress. Moira says, "Your child is much less likely to say a word when you're demanding it of them. When we just say, 'say this word', it's out of context, devoid of meaning - children learn words best when they're contextualised and meaningful to them." Instead, the expert encourages parents to use words they want their child to pick up repeatedly and in the right contexts - "pick up their cute little hand, touch your face and say, 'I'm your mama'" she says, "have your partner wave at you when you enter a room and say, 'Hi mama'". Another important tip from the expert that she says will help your child's language to "explode" is to stop speaking in baby talk. Moira says, "There's a difference between child-directed speech which is that sing-songy voice with lots of rise and fall in your intonation and baby talk which is the purposeful misarticulation of sounds to sound like you're a small child. Child-directed s){kind=link}
A speech expert has issued important advice to parents on helping your little one learn words, warning there’s one habit that should be avoided as it can halt progress
As a parent, watching your little ones reach new milestones is one of the most exciting things about raising children. Rolling over, smiling, crawling, walking, and talking are all achievements no parent will forget when their child does it for the first time and many parents feel anxious when their little one is taking just that little bit longer to reach certain milestones in comparison to others.
Many parents worry about their children’s speech and one speech expert on TikTok shared why how you encourage your toddler to talk could be doing more harm than good. Moira, a speech-language pathologist, and Mum of two, said, “Did you know, as parents, our natural instincts when talking to our kids are often hampering their ability to quickly learn lots of words?”
Using “say mama” as an example, Moira explained that encouraging children to say specific words adds pressure and could be hindering progress. Moira says, “Your child is much less likely to say a word when you’re demanding it of them. When we just say, ‘say this word’, it’s out of context, devoid of meaning – children learn words best when they’re contextualised and meaningful to them.”
Instead, the expert encourages parents to use words they want their child to pick up repeatedly and in the right contexts – “pick up their cute little hand, touch your face and say, ‘I’m your mama'” she says, “have your partner wave at you when you enter a room and say, ‘Hi mama'”.