Maria L., Parent to a Better Speech Client Submitted this Question: "Sometimes I feel like I ask my son, who is 4, too many questions. He just looks at me and doesn't reply. I want to know about his day at daycare, what can I do to not overwhelm him?"
One of the most common mistakes we see parents make when it comes to speech therapy for kids is bombarding their child with too many questions. They want to know about their day, but they have to remember that conversations should be fun as well as encourage two-way conversation instead of asking too many questions. That can feel intense to a little one who is not always sure how to answer.
Learn the difference between too much or too little questions.
How to keep your toddler engaged throughout the conversation, from Better Speech SLPs:
Try cutting down the number of questions and make more comments. As a simple guide, it should be to use 3 comments for each question. You may see that your child has something to say when you take the pressure off. For example, instead of asking your child how the ice cream tastes, you could comment “That ice cream looks yummy!"
Ask various question types, including choice questions (“Do you want the ball or the car?”), yes/no questions (“Do you want to take a bath?”), and some WH- questions (“Who came home?” “What is in the basket?” “Where is the kitty?”).
Try using open-ended questions, as these can keep the conversation going. Try “What do you think of this show?” instead of "Do you like this show?" which might only yield a yes/no reply.
Ask questions about what your child is interested in and follow their lead. If your child doesn't usually like talking about what happened at school, ask them only about their favorite subject or activity, like "How was art class today?" That way you can get the conversation rolling.
Give your child time to reply. Little kids and especially those with a speech or language delay may need more time to process the question and put together their answers. After you ask them something, try waiting 10 seconds for your child to answer.
Model an answer if your child can’t answer the question on their own. It's a great way to teach new vocabulary and introduce new ideas.
And don't forget to have fun. Kids learn best during play. While you are playing games and engaging in the fun activities your child enjoys, they will be extra motivated to chat. It's a great time to share ideas and improve their language skills.
At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
About the Author
Cheri Gipson
I am a speech-language pathologist who specializes in language skills and pronunciation. I obtained my Master’s of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Western Illinois University and I have worked in the field of speech pathology for over 20 years. One of the things I enjoy most is helping people learn.
In my spare time, I enjoy writing tips on how to improve online teaching for both the larger language schools and also as a private ESL teacher. Teaching is my passion, and I love seeing students make progress. Every day is a new adventure, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help people learn and grow!
