LilSugar

Tell Mommy: When Did Your Child Start Chatting?

babysugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:31 -0700

It's only natural for parents to pay attention to their children's developmental milestones and how he or she measures up to playmates. That being said, each child has his or her own pace and in most cases, they catch up or eventually, level out their Olympic speed. A recent study on language emergence has shown that 80 percent of children with language delays at age two will catch up by age seven. Of course that also means one in five "late talkers," stay delayed for a while longer.

I always tell friends how important I think it is to not put your children on a timetable and just enjoy the proud growth and accomplishment moments when they happen. Of course, there are certain milestones - like your child becoming a chatty Cathy - a parent will never forget. When did your child begin completing full sentences and carrying a conversation?

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French Flash Cards Are Très Magnifique!

LilSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:30:53 -0700

I know more than 44 percent of you speak other languages besides English with your children, so why not add another?

After reading educational experts suggest using flashcards to spruce up comprehensive and help children prepare for the upcoming school year, I was pleased to find this charming French flash card set ($14).

The pack is perfect for practicing your Français and pretty enough that it could be used to help decorate your crib once your child has learned all the vocab words.

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Do You Know Kid Lingo?

babysugar — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:00:40 -0700

When I had my first boyfriend, we used to say we were "going together." Sometimes my mom inquires about my friends and asks, "Are they still going together?" I blush at her choice of words. Take this test and see how well you know your current kiddie jargon.
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Do You Sign With Your Babe?

babysugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:53 -0700

Most baby stores now carry sign language merchandise from books to DVDs and flashcards to placemats.

I only taught my lil one the sign for "more," but my friends have been more diligent in their efforts. Advocates say that children who sign are less likely to throw tantrums since they can communicate earlier. On the flip side, others argue that signing can delay speech development as tots learn to rely on their hands.

When it comes to sign, what's your stance?
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One Language or More?

babysugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:00:39 -0800

In many bilingual families, parents make a conscience effort to teach their babes both languages. If one parent is proficient in one language and the other in another, it is normal for each one to talk to their tot solely in that tongue.

I try to chat in Spanish with my babe, but I'm not as diligent as I'd like to be. Luckily, her nanny is teaching it to her every day. And, at this age, she is soaking words up like a sponge.

Just the other day we were on a walk and she looked up at me and said, "Mano!" A little puzzled, I thought to myself, "Mano?" Then it hit me, "Hand! That means hand in Spanish!" So I reached down and her tiny palm met mine and off we went.

Will your child be bilingual?

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Trendtotting: Tees that Speak the Twooth

babysugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:44 -0700

Ever have a hard time deciphering what your lil one is trying to tell you? After a while, a mother can clarify to others that "waga" translates to "water" and "peas" does not connote the green veggies, but "please." Take one of your tot's most mangled vocabulary words and memorialize it with a Temporary Language tee.

Parents choose an image from a gallery of 100 plus pictures, enter their child's version of the word along with the legitimate translation. For $30, your babe will be a walking talking self–identifying dictionary for those surrounding him. And, you'll have a tangible memento of his "faborit whuurd."

Understanding Baby Talk

babysugar — Mon, 05 May 2008 13:00:00 -0700

People say that moms can tell the difference between their newborn's cries. But, I felt like a complete loser when I couldn't distinguish the hunger cry from the tired whimper.

Then, I saw a special Oprah show that had me hanging on every word. Oprah's guest Priscilla Dunstan revealed five infant words and their meanings.

To see what the words are and what they mean, read more.

Priscilla Dunstan was a talented violinist and opera singer who had, according to her father, a photographic memory for sound. She could hear a concert on the piano and play it back note for note.

Dunstan had her own child and became familiar with his language almost immediately. Curious to see if other children spoke the same lingo, she examined thousands of babies with worldly backgrounds. She tested her theory over nine years and through three independent international studies. In the end, her results confirmed what she had believed – there is a universal baby language, which is now called the Dunstan Baby Language. Here are the five basic words:

Eh – Burp Me
Eairh – I have wind (gas)
Neh – I'm hungry
Heh – Change me
Owh – I'm sleepy

After watching her explain her theory and then applying the lesson to my own child, I quickly realized that she was on to something. My daughter made those same sounds and often, they followed those examples.

For moms struggling to understand their babes, the $49 Dunstan System may be a good investment. For me, it was enough to just know the five "words" in my wee one's vocabulary.

Did your tot use these same sounds?

Tracking Baby's Words

babysugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:00:35 -0800

In Sunday's New York Times Magazine, I came across an interesting piece on baby talk.

Most parents are curious about how their child measures up to the developmental milestones and physical growth charts.

While some parents brag about their tot's precocious behavior, others secretly worry about their lagging babe, especially if the lil one isn't talking much.

To learn what these parents can do about it, read more.

Terrance Paul from Infoture created LENA (language environment analysis) for $400. According to the article:

Terrance Paul's current venture (LENA) was inspired by a well–known study that found that professional parents uttered more than three times as many words to their children as did parents who were on welfare. The children in the less talkative homes turned out to be less verbal and to have smaller vocabularies. Other studies have suggested that these gaps affect later professional success.

LENA is a voice recorder that attaches to the kid's clothing and reportedly assesses children's verbal skills as well as their exposure to verbal stimulation. In the future, they hope the device will also be able to account for speech entropy, which is the adding of new words, phrases or sounds to their skill set.

Critics of the LENA system have legitimate concerns about how words, syntax, and verbal growth can actually be charted using a recorder. Others argue that parents of LENA children will converse more than normal in efforts to better their child's LENA scores. And, some lil ones who may just be slower to mature in dialogue could be identified as "having a problem" when their timing is off in comparison to their peers.

But many agree on one simple idea – the more you speak with your children, the more you provide them the tools and confidence from which their language can evolve.

Tell us, would you buy a LENA if you were concerned with your babe's language development?
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10 Ways to Encourage Babies to Develop Language Skills

LilSugar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 10:00:21 -0700

Was your lil one born with the gift to gab? It may seem that way in the early months when a child babbles away incessantly, even if no one can quite make out what they are saying. Soon after birth babies begin picking up on the words and sounds they hear, and from the early stage, their language development skills are growing. Parents and caregivers can encourage these skills by speaking directly to their children and using words and phrases that babies understand. Check out our 10 tips for aiding the development of language in tots.

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Mommy Dearest: Potty Mouthed Parents Cursed Playdate

LilSugar — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:08 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

I am at a loss for words after a playdate at the park with a few of my two-year-old son's friends and their families. One set of parents used four-letter words so frequently and freely that a child (not their own) started repeating one of the words, even screaming it, for attention. The cursing couple thought it was funny. I told them that my husband and I try to curb the use of swearing in our home and don't focus on it if we do slip up so our kids don't pick up the poor language choice. The mom and dad still didn't get the hint and kept using profanity in front of the children. How would you have handled the situation?

– Clean-Mouthed Mommy

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Clean-Mouthed Mommy,

The rules you set in your own home cannot be forced on others when you leave your abode. But, it's certainly appropriate to politely ask fellow parents to curtail their foul language in your children's presence and explain the reasons behind your request. If your friends continue to curse, you might want to limit your time with them to adult only outings.

-Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.