It’s time to stop practicing speech at home if your child is frustrated or “refusing to talk.”

And here’s why. 

If you are looking to successfully practice speech at home with your toddler there’s one very important rule to keep in mind: Practicing speech at home should be fun.

Often toddlers who struggle with speech are more prone to feeling frustrated during at home practice. The frustration comes from knowing what they want to say but being unable to pronounce the sounds or words despite their best efforts. 

Avoiding frustration is important because when toddlers are continually frustrated practicing at home they are likely to shut down. Often parents talk about their child “refusing to talk” when this occurs.  

In speech therapy, it’s a fine dance between challenging toddlers to grow their skills why also not pushing them to the point where they become really frustrated or avoid practicing all together. 

There have been times where I have recommended breaks from speech therapy for children who quite simply need a vacation from practicing speech. Have you ever gone back to work after being on vacation feeling energized and ready to work. The same can happen for young kids in speech therapy. 

For this reason, practicing speech at home should be done with caution. 

Working on speech at home isn’t always easy. There are several different reasons why your child might be having difficulties, and in order to give them the best support, we need to understand why they are having a hard time. That’s where a speech therapist with a trained ear and expertise in multiple treatment approaches is invaluable. If you still have concerns about your child's speech at the end of this course, I will walk you through the steps to scheduling an evaluation with a Speech Language Pathologist.

Meanwhile, as you work with your child on their speech at home, there is one guiding principle I want you to remember: FUN! 

If your child isn’t having fun or is showing signs of frustration while you practice, stop! Pick it up later or the next day. 

Children are most receptive to learning new skills when they’re excited about what they’re doing and having a good time. It is much more effective to be able to engage in practice with your child again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, than it is to practice for a long time in one session. 

Written By: Stephanie Keffer, MS, CCC-SLP

© 2020-2023. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.

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