July 17, 2009
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Me Tired of Baby Talk
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Okay, parents with more than one how did you handle the uptick in the baby talk? Am I bad mom that it kind of bugs? It's a little thing… or maybe I should say, it's just a weetle, weetle tang.
wow - dealing with this at my house lately. I have a 4 1/2 year old daughter and twin 1 yr old boys. My daughter has recently decided that she's going to talk in a baby talky way and I don't like it one tiny little bit. My husband and I decided that we would either say "talk normally like a big girl please!" or we would pretend that we don't understand what she's saying until she speaks normally and then she gets what she wants. When she asks for a cookie or a drink in that dopey voice with the weird pronunciation - I just look at her and blink and say "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying - what is it you'd like?" lather, rinse, repeat until all the affectation is gone.
Maybe the wrong approach, but I just don't want her walking into camp or preschool and speaking like that. Maybe therapy fodder later in life?
Therapy may be in order for our almost 4 year old too. Seems to be something she's picked up at school. I do the same thing, the 'I'm sorry, I don't understand…' bit and it seems to be working pretty well. She repeats herself in her normal voice and we move on.
We attribute some of her fabulous vocabulary at a young age to the fact that we never baby talked to her - seriously, never. No intention of doing it with baby #2 either. Will be interesting to see how this works out when the new one comes!
I know…I just didn't have that b/c I have 3 boys, and mine were just not like that. Maybe it's a girl thing???
maybe it is. I don't know. Anyone have a boy do it? be interesting to know.
Some times when it irks me I think "what ever old lady, she's a little girl working through something." I think the wretched grammer is what gets me most. the "me want water".
We also never talked baby talk to her when she was a baby. He grandmother did and evrytime my daughter would either cry or look at gma like she lost her mind!
My daughter started baby talking when her new cousin was born we did exact some thing we told her we couldn't understand her and then didn't respond until she spoke normally it worked like a a charm.
well here you go Daphne, your boy example you asked for!! My son was 2 when my daughter was born. He has been acting like a baby ever since and he is 5 now. My husband and I don't acknowledge the behavior and make him repeat his request in a more mature manner but that does not stop him from doing it again. I think he reverts back to the behavior as an attention seeking device because his little sister who is three is our "baby." But as I have told him repeatedly, he is my little man and I like him that way. We still have plenty of cuddle time which is one on one without his sister so I don't know what to tell you. They will out grow it but the question is when and I think it is different for all children. Until then I will just have to tattoo "repeat that please" on my forehead.
I am glad that I have some company because my 3yr old started doing this too! And I agree that the "me want" thing is bugging me the most. She was saying I want for a while before the regression. She has also started pulling a Max and Ruby with only saying 1 word over and over. I too have tried the "I can't understand you" aproach. I hope that once her baby brother starts talking, and sees us praise him for being a big boy, she will want to be big again too!
that's a good point Denise, but that's about 18 to 20 months off for me. I think it does happen more when she is tired.
Thanks Becky!
Daphne I feel your pain here. My almost 3 year old has not only started baby talk and even baby gibberish again (think Olivia books and "Whoshee Gaga") she also pretends she cannot walk anymore since her 14 month old brother Miles is just starting to walk. She puts her hands out in front of her, wobbles back and forth and even pretends to fall over right as she gets to me (all while baby talking). It is driving me nuts! She was such a big girl! Good Luck!
I have two boys (almost 7 and just turned 4) and they still throw the baby talk at me. They think it is hilarious… Could they be picking up on my teeth grinding as soon as I hear it? I think so. I try not to be reactionary, but it really drives me crazy. And it seems they know it. How did they make it my problem and not theirs? Evil geniuses…
Drive me crazy why teach them twice show them what's wrong to begin with it makes no sense..
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Not sure about some of the older kids others have mentioned doing the baby talk, but I've heard that when a new baby arrives, the first kid often regresses.
So, they un-learn things they've been able to do previously, and I guess that can include purposefully forgetting how to talk like a big girl!
Apparently it's quite common. I have no idea how long it takes for them to snap out of it though… sorry!
She'll grow out of it. Just be grateful she is not saying AW DARNIT, DAG NABBIT (thanks Madagascar!) and various Potty phrases like my daughter is currently working through.
When my son does that and imitates my younger one, i just say "oh, can't give it to you 'til you talk like a big boy!" and I won't unless he gives up the baby talk and talks like he knows how. Yes, it's annoying b/c I want him to communicate. I've already dealt w/ not being able to understand you for too long. Don't torture me and just tell me in plain english ….lol He's doing better now and DOES talk like a big boy now, especially if he wants something. But if he's just playing with the baby, I don't mind so much. I only ask that he talks right to me!
good to hear. Jen, love the layout of your site. ann I really want that cup of perfect latte love on the landing page… yum
Insightful website, look at my response about driving instructors.