This sentence should be avoided if your child is learning to speak (it can hinder their progress)

There are certain moments in the lives of children that are unforgettable: every parent remembers the first steps of their child, their first day of kindergarten or even the first time they used the potty! For some, toilet training may seem minor, but for parents, it is a real transition: the layers are now just a distant memory, which marks a new era with the potty and allows the child to go to school.

A crucial step for both parents and children is language acquisition. The wait for the first word is great, but once pronounced, the child will continue to enrich his vocabulary every day. To facilitate this process, a specialist shared an essential tip: she recommends to avoid a commonly used expression which can hinder learning. In a video broadcast on TikTokspeech therapist Moira revealed the best way to support a child in acquiring new words.

A frequently used expression that hinders children’s progress

As the speech therapist explains in his video, parents and even those around the child often use a phrase to get a child to talk: “Say this or say that”. But this sentence is anything but beneficial for children, it does not motivate them at all, on the contrary it can make them anxious and oppressive.

Moira explains: “Your child is much less likely to say a word if you demand it of him. Also, when we simply say ‘say…’, This word is out of context and meaningless. Children learn words best when they are contextualized and meaningful to them. So, just try to repeat the word you want often in your own everyday language.”

An approved method

In the comments, netizens approved of Moira’s tip and thanked her for her advice. His video has been viewed over 3 million times and received over 3,000 comments. Many of them have applied his advice and seen real progress in learning the language.

The speech therapist’s advice has also helped many parents who felt that their child had a speech delay. Sometimes, you just have to remove a sentence from their language to unblock a situation…

Parenting Editor

Zoé is on a work-study program, she joined the aufeminin team in September 2022, she writes for the parenting section. Committed and curious, Zoé likes to write to advance the …