How do you talk to kids?

[jko]

Not sure if this is the right section or not...

So, on with the topic of this thread: I was at church tonight running some cables for our intercom system and there were some kids there (8-10) and they were talking to me, so obviously I talked to them. They were asking questions about what we were doing and other adults sort of talked to them like they were babies. They asked me and I explained to them normally what we were doing and they understood.

Why do adults do this to kids? Is this how you do this with your own children? I would want to speak normally to my children as I would think it would help their communication skills..?

 

[TwinCrier]

I read that babies hear better when you talk in the high-pitched sing-song voice we normally want to use with them, but when the child can talk in complete sentences, it's time to talk to then that way as well. I think people who don't have children, or have older children just forget that sometimes and morph into Mr. Rogers.

 

[herev]

I read that babies hear better when you talk in the high-pitched sing-song voice we normally want to use with them, but when the child can talk in complete sentences, it's time to talk to then that way as well. I think people who don't have children, or have older children just forget that sometimes and morph into Mr. Rogers.

amen and amen. Don't talk baby talk to kids--it is never good for them. My sister did this to my nephew--he's going into High school now and still talks that way

 

[purplestars]

I've heard of studies that show that speaking "Motherese" actually hinder a child's speech progress.

I try and talk to my 10 year old sister like she's an adult. Same with other kids I am around, as long as they can understand adult talk.

 

[selune]

I talk to my kids the way I talk to adults. When they have questions about a word they don't understand, they ask, or I'll offer it up if I know it's an unusual word. A favorite instance from about a month ago is my 4 year old squealing when he saw a chipmunk and saying "oh no! It's a harbinger of doom! Watch out for something bad to happen!" This being a joke from the commentary on the Brother Bear movie. I was pleased, wow, when a 4 year old can retain the memory and usage of vocabulary why are we shoving baby-talk drivel at kids??? We don't watch Sesame Street anymore because they have replaced the funny monsters with lisping puppets that don't help kids. We've always talked normally to our kids and not the baby-babble. I think the kids like the respect shown to them too when we don't talk down.

 

[mamaneenie]

I talk to my son (who is 3 at the end of this year) in sentences using words I know he understands. Adding new words as he gets older.

With 8 - 10 year olds they should be able to understand what is going on and you should be able to talk to them like an adult really.

 

[BeanMak]

My sister was called by my neice's English teacher. The teacher thought that Lea was cheating on her vocabulary work. They had an assignment to write down each time they heard one of their vocab word used in conversation, either at home or on television. The student then would get a point of extra credit. The teacher felt that Lea was exaggerating how often she was hearing her words. My sister informed the teacher that we are literate at our house, and every day conversation indeed contained fun and interesting words used in sentences!
Let's give kids more credit, and maybe they wouldn't talk like gangstas

 

[jko]

It's nice to hear that other people feel the same way as I do. Raising a child will be fun yet scary too. :S

 

[bliz]

Many adults are uncomfortable around groups of kids and that has a lot to do with how they talk to them. In our increasingly age segregated societies, there is less intergenerational intraction and therefore, far less comfort than there should be. churches in particular, in my opinion, need to be deliberate about planning intergenerational activities.

 

[jko]

Bliz, that is true. I feel more comfortable around adults (adults older then myself) then I do around teenagers. It's strange. Though I do feel comfortable around children as well. It's fun working with them because I can be a kid again.

 

[Jillian1527]

I talk to my girls ages 5 and 7 like I do to anyone else. I have been told that if you treat them like adults then they learn and comprehend more. I will admit that I will baby talk to them if they get hurt or we are playing around.
-Jillian

 

[jko]

I talk to my girls ages 5 and 7 like I do to anyone else. I have been told that if you treat them like adults then they learn and comprehend more. I will admit that I will baby talk to them if they get hurt or we are playing around.
-Jillian

Right, you can't be serious all the time. Although I think if you freaked out when they got hurt it would teach them not to be calm in a chaotic situation.

 

[SelfProtect]

When around other people, I talk to my kids like adults.

When we are at home alone, I do babytalk. They are 10 and 12. It is endearing. I call my daughter, baby girl. And my son snookums. There will be a time real soon when they will not tolerate it anymore. But as long as they do, I don't care if their 40, I'll still do it.

Both my kids are very mature, have strong vocabulary's and are A, B students.

 

[desi]

I talk to my kids like they are adults but with a limited vocabulary, explaining big words as they come up. Consequently, my kids have relatively big vocabularies and act 'adult' more in public as they are expected to.

 

[Jenna]

I talk to my daughter the same way that I talk to everyone else, minus real complex words. Of course, I don't use them with some adults either. *laughs* I dunno, I never really got into all of the googlie baby talk anyway. Even when she was an infant, I had a hard time with that, but a mom will do just about anything when the little one is screaming for hours and won't hush up. lol Now that she understands what I'm saying and can speak reasonably well on her own, I talk to her like anybody else. The only bad part about doing that is that it's scary stuff when they start mimicing you, and actually sound like you. lol

 

[selune]

When around other people, I talk to my kids like adults.

When we are at home alone, I do babytalk. They are 10 and 12. It is endearing. I call my daughter, baby girl. And my son snookums. There will be a time real soon when they will not tolerate it anymore. But as long as they do, I don't care if their 40, I'll still do it.

Both my kids are very mature, have strong vocabulary's and are A, B students.

That's sweet, I bet your kids will remember this silliness when they are older and have kids of their own *sniff* They won't grow up will they? j/k

 

[HeatherJay]

I read that babies hear better when you talk in the high-pitched sing-song voice we normally want to use with them, but when the child can talk in complete sentences, it's time to talk to then that way as well. I think people who don't have children, or have older children just forget that sometimes and morph into Mr. Rogers.

I've read about studies done on "baby-talk," as well...but the one I'm thinking of stated that it tended to promote creativity later on. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal as long as it's not the sole form of communication.

Oh well, we did use silly voices with our girls, but we never used those silly made up sounds or words for things...in other words, we talked silly to them, but never distorted words that they were still trying to learn. That was the one and only reason that I couldn't stand Teletubbies. It was mindless jibberish in rainbow colors. And now there's Boohbah which is basically the same concept...unfortunately, my kids seem to love both.

Selune, our kids would LOVE each other...mine go around quoting Brother Bear all the time, too.

And, the words my 5 year old hears in conversation or on TV and doesn't understand, she wants to know what they mean so that she can use them correctly. Even my 3 year old, though most people can't understand her, speaks in complete and complex sentences (lol, complete with hand motions and body language to emphasize her point...it's the cutest thing you've ever seen!).

I'm rambling, but yes, I think kids should be treated as the intelligent little creatures they are. And, speaking to them normally and using words properly definitely helps them learn proper grammar skills from the start...as opposed to letting their teachers fix the problems you've created later on.

Now, to go tuck my NoodlePoodleSchnoodle (aka Emily) back into bed.

 

[Bible Addict]

Bliz, that is true. I feel more comfortable around adults (adults older then myself) then I do around teenagers. It's strange. Though I do feel comfortable around children as well. It's fun working with them because I can be a kid again.

...that's just because you're scared of us lol... it's OK, a lot adults are, we're even scared of each other sometimes... lol

 

[Crofter]

I talk to my kids and any other children as though theyare normal people... because that is just what they are but in smaller shells.

 

[Lena75]

I remember the first time I'd brought my son into a speech therapy assessment. The lady there, very nice lady, started talking to him in that high, annoying voice! My son was 4 at the time and I've never been one to "babytalk" to my kids. He looked at this lady like she was from Mars! But, she was only doing her job. After a while, I guess after watching me interact with my son - normally- she caught on and after that she just talked normally too. The odd time she would do her baby talking. As for an 8-10 year old? My goodness, they should be talked to like an adult. My oldest son is now 8. Although he's autistic, I still talk normally to him. Sometimes I'll drive my sister bonkers and talk babytalk to her. Drives her nuts!