As your child grows up and starts going to school, they will spend most of their time away from home, at school and with friends. That's why it's essential to talk to them to strengthen the bond between you and your child. Sharing your thoughts, feelings, and new information will make that bond even stronger.
So, how can we make this conversation with our child better?
Here are some things that I think will help you. Take these into consideration and try to talk to your child in your own way.
- Take time to ask, "What happened today?": When your child comes home from school, or during dinner, ask them a little about their day. Your child needs to feel like you're really listening. Sometimes, even when we're busy with work, it's worth taking the time to talk to your child. Imagine, when you ask them that, your child feels, "Oh, Mom/Dad is interested in me and is listening to what I have to say."
- Talk to your child, not preach to them: This is very important. Sometimes we just tell our children, "Don't do this, do that." But that's not a conversation. Listen to what your child says, and get their point of view. Talk to them in a relaxed manner, like you would talk to a friend.
- Ask questions that can't be answered with "yes" or "no". If you ask, "Is school good?", the answer can be either "yes" or "no". The conversation doesn't go beyond that. Instead, ask questions like, "What was the best thing that happened at school today?" or "What's the latest you learned today?" That way, your child has something to think about and explain. That's when real conversation happens.
- Take advantage of the little moments you get while driving or waiting in line at the store: These are golden opportunities to talk to your child. Since you have nothing else to do, you can both look at each other and talk. You can start the conversation by asking something simple like, "What did you play with your friend today?"
- Go to your child's sports competitions, school events, play together, and make time to talk about other things in the world: These things will strengthen your bond with your child. You'll be happy when you see their talents, and your child will feel that happiness too. When you do something together, it automatically opens up space for conversation.
- Encourage your child to read books and stories that are a little above their level of understanding: This will help develop their vocabulary and thinking skills. They will learn new words and new ideas. When they are finished reading, they can talk about the story and its characters.
The child's use of words and the way they talk (Vocabulary and Communication Patterns)
As you move up through the grades in school, your child's understanding and use of language will gradually become more complex, that is, it will develop. Typically, children will be able to understand more words and concepts than they can speak. This means that even though they understand some things, it will take them a while to put them into words.
At this age, your child should be able to clearly express their thoughts and feelings, and to describe something in a coherent manner, even something like a story (`narrative discourse`).
When should we seek help?
It is very important to talk regularly with your child's school teacher about their language skills and progress. Children who have problems understanding and using language are likely to have problems learning.
Imagine that your child has a problem with stuttering or a lisp . In that case, it's best to refer them to a speech-language pathologist at school—a specialist who diagnoses and treats speech and language disorders. You should talk to the therapist about the goals of the treatment, what language activities to practice at home, and how your child is progressing.
Remember, the sooner you recognize these things, the easier it is to help your child.
Sometimes a school teacher may suspect that a child has a language-based learning disability . If so, they will need to do several tests to find out for sure. These include:
- A hearing test.
- Psychoeducational assessment: This looks at how the child learns, their cognitive processes. That is, a standardized test that assesses the child's learning style and intellectual abilities.
- A speech-language evaluation.
Check for any problems with communication skills such as:
If you think your child has one or more of the symptoms below, it's a good idea to talk to a doctor or the aforementioned speech therapist about it.
- Hearing problems: Does your child seem to have trouble hearing you when you speak? Does he or she often ask, "What did you say?"
- Difficulty paying attention or following instructions in the classroom: Is it difficult to grasp what the teacher is saying and act accordingly?
- Difficulty remembering information: Do you quickly forget what you were told?
- Poor vocabulary development: Don't know an age-appropriate number of words? Not interested in learning new words?
- Problems with grammar and syntax: Are there any mistakes in the way you construct sentences when speaking?
- Organizational problems when expressing ideas or telling a story (`narrative discourse`): Do you find it difficult to express what is on your mind in an orderly manner, to tell a story properly from beginning to end?
- Problems with learning, reading, and writing achievement: Is learning, reading, and writing difficult compared to other children?
- Speech indistinctness: Is it difficult for others to understand what the child is saying?
- A persistent stutter or pronunciation error (`lisp`).
Another thing, if your child has a hoarseness , breathiness , or raspiness in their voice, they should be examined by an otolaryngologist (ENT specialist) .
So, what are the most important things we need to remember? (Take-Home Message)
It's very simple. Talking to your child is the best way to strengthen your bond with him. It's very important to do that conversation with love, interest, and listening to your child.
If you or your child's teacher notices any changes, deficiencies, or problems in their speech or language use, don't ignore it. Pay attention to it immediately and seek medical advice and speech therapy if necessary.
Speech and language therapists, other therapists, and your family doctor can help your child overcome these communication problems. The most important thing is that you are there for your child, understand him, and intervene to provide the necessary support. Then your child will be able to face the world with confidence!
` Child communication, parent-child communication, language development, speech problems, learning disabilities, Speech-language pathologist, Child Communication
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