2 of my 3 kids were "late" talkers, one was filibustering contentedly from about 3 months of age (babbling, not talking). The late talkers both are/were more introverted and preferred 1:1 and my chatty one still loves holding court with an audience 🤣
My late talkers were both saying wildly complex things once they started talked. Same happened when they learned to read. My sense was they have an inner perfectionism that led them to think they had to keep observing until they found their words. They also were both flagged for learning delays at school, yet at home were sounding out words like "chrysanthemum" in first grade. Both instances I was confident enough to suggest more challenging material to test them because they were likely bored with "see Spot run" type early reader stuff... I was accurate in my assessment and a little smug about it the first time around (I was in my late 20's with a grade schooler in an affluent community and stood out like a sore thumb, but that's a different story 🤣)
As an early reader and talked myself, I can say that it caused me a fair amount of worry that they weren't more "like me" but I'm glad I trusted my instincts to let them develop at their own pace without meddling too much. Intervention is critical in many cases, but arbitrary in as many more, causing achievement worry and duress. It's cool that they all have the own strengths and gifts that complement each other, and their "weaknesses" are scaffolded with understanding and patience. Sometimes I think they harder we attempt to get our kids to conform to a set of developmental or cultural standards, the more likely rebellion is. I'm ultimately lazy (okay, efficient?) and prefer pleasure, understanding and ease so that certainly factors in. Anyway, now all these kids talk my ears off and are voracious readers and writers too. Yay 🤸🏼 (now for them all to grow more confident and comfortable trusting themselves!)
2 of my 3 kids were "late" talkers, one was filibustering contentedly from about 3 months of age (babbling, not talking). The late talkers both are/were more introverted and preferred 1:1 and my chatty one still loves holding court with an audience 🤣
My late talkers were both saying wildly complex things once they started talked. Same happened when they learned to read. My sense was they have an inner perfectionism that led them to think they had to keep observing until they found their words. They also were both flagged for learning delays at school, yet at home were sounding out words like "chrysanthemum" in first grade. Both instances I was confident enough to suggest more challenging material to test them because they were likely bored with "see Spot run" type early reader stuff... I was accurate in my assessment and a little smug about it the first time around (I was in my late 20's with a grade schooler in an affluent community and stood out like a sore thumb, but that's a different story 🤣)
As an early reader and talked myself, I can say that it caused me a fair amount of worry that they weren't more "like me" but I'm glad I trusted my instincts to let them develop at their own pace without meddling too much. Intervention is critical in many cases, but arbitrary in as many more, causing achievement worry and duress. It's cool that they all have the own strengths and gifts that complement each other, and their "weaknesses" are scaffolded with understanding and patience. Sometimes I think they harder we attempt to get our kids to conform to a set of developmental or cultural standards, the more likely rebellion is. I'm ultimately lazy (okay, efficient?) and prefer pleasure, understanding and ease so that certainly factors in. Anyway, now all these kids talk my ears off and are voracious readers and writers too. Yay 🤸🏼 (now for them all to grow more confident and comfortable trusting themselves!)