The Power of WAITING!

It might not be something you think of; but as parents with children who are developing language, sometimes the best thing you can do is wait and listen.

In my 12 weeks as an Early On intern, I have observed how a concept so simple can have such a large impact on a child’s language development.

What it looks like….

Give Them a Chance

When you wait patiently for your child to formulate his thoughts or make a request, you give your child the opportunity to show you what he/she knows and can say. Showing your child, by waiting, that you are interested in what they are doing will instill confidence in young children as communicators.

Let Them Lead

Wait and follow your child’s lead when choosing an activity or toy. When children are participating in an enjoyable activity, it increases the chance your child will be interested in communicating or talking about those interests. Waiting for them to take the lead provides young children with the opportunity to practice communication while having fun.

Silence Isn’t Always Bad

As adults, it might feel natural to want to fill the “silence” with chatter. Children who are still learning how to process incoming language might need a little extra time thinking. The chatter can sometimes be overwhelming and distracting. Pausing and waiting clearly indicates to your child that it is their time to speak and gives them time to formulate a message and respond. Don’t be afraid of pauses. Slow down and take the time to listen to what children have to say.

Too Many Questions

Too often parents bombard their child with questions upon questions and don’t wait and allow them enough time to respond on their own. Kiddos have a lot to say; but if you don’t allow them the chance to speak and formulate a response, it could be limiting their chance to grow in their language development. A good rule of thumb for this strategy is to try and wait between five to ten seconds after asking a child a question.

Waiting is probably the most difficult thing for parents to do—but you will be surprised once you wait and listen how much more your kiddo may talk. So go ahead, wait and see what happens!

 This post was provided by Hannah Duke, a Michigan State University graduate student and intern with the Early-On program in Ionia County.