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How to get a 2-year-old to vocalize what she wants
Here is our little dilemma. My daughter is 2 years old and hardly wants to talk she communicates with
noises and the dreadful whining (oh no!). The kicker is that she knows how to talk she can count to 10
she knows about 15 animals she says hello,goodbye, more milk, please, thank you,you're welcome,
that one, why, no, mine, her sisters name, daddy, grandma, tia, (but she calls everyone mommy/mom
males included) the dogs name and various others but when she wants something from me she
refuses to use her words to communicate. When we use flash cards with colors and words she gets
them right and names the items accordingly but how in the world do I get her to talk to me when she
wants something instead of whining or sounding incoherent? Now theory is that because I have a one
year old who just received a majority of my attention because I breastfed her she just attached to me
but with my 2 year old she was bottle fed all the way through so she isn't as needy until recently. She
wants more of my attention and don't get me wrong I do my best we color together, paint, make hats,
mimic each other and I talk to her but still she won't budge. I need some pointers is she being lazy or
doing it on purpose acting like a baby (like my 1 year old)?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by samanths hines on -
dont give her what she wants unlesss she talks say im sorry i cant understand what you want you have to use your words....is there something you want? and if she keeps pointing and whining tell her what she should say"tell mommy i need more milk please" basically pretend you dont know what she wants untill she tells u see if that helps each child has there own personality unrealated to breastfed or not its the opposite in our family my nephew was not breastfed and he is very whiney and needy he thinks he should have all eyes on him everymoment and he cries and grunts to get what he wants my daughter was breastfed 2 yrs and is independent and well mannered if she wants something she gets it her self or tells me without whiney and throwing a fit what she wants they are less than 1 month apart and he has been whiney since birth and she was relaxed from birth...
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Permalink Reply by Jen, Mom365 Host on -
My son has had years of speech therapy. We don't give him what he wants until he uses his words. We're finally getting to a point where I don't have to prompt him all the time, but it does work. When she whines, say, "I can't understand you when you speak like that. Do you want something?" When she points, remind her, "use your words." If it's a word you're not sure she knows, prompt her to say the word before you give it to her.
Like, say she wants orange slices, so she's pointing and whining. That's when you say, "I can't understand you, do you want something?" But you know she doesn't know how to say "orange slices" so then you prompt her by asking, "are you asking for orange slices?" If she says, "yes" or reacts in any way to let you know that's what she wants, tell her, "say 'orange slices please.'" Then wait for her to say it (or really, just attempt to say it) before you give it to her. That's the routine we had to go through with my son.
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Permalink Reply by breeze11779 on -
Perhaps she just needs more attention bc of the younger baby and isn't sure how to get it? Every method of communication is purposeful. It's our job to find the intent and meet the need. Another consideration is trying to sign? Maybe she is lagging on verbal skills(even a tiny bit, or maybe she's not but isn't confident about talking?). Simple signs, or even gestures may help on both accounts.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on -
my daughter is 21 months and does this also. i have to decipher grunts and i'm tired of it. unless she hasn't eaten breakfast, i make her at least try to say what she wants from me, instead of grunts. i am finally starting to get her to say milk and juice, and so it's getting there. but the grunts and the whining i pretend i am deaf and when i make her food i point to things and say what they are in hopes that she will remember some and request them later.
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Permalink Reply by Shannon, Star Mom on
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My sister went through this with her daughter. They stopped responding until their daughter verbally expressed what she wanted. The whining and pointing wasn't gonna get her what she wanted anymore. Of course, they encouraged her by giving a confused expression, w/ their hands out, and asked "what do you want, you have to tell mommy/daddy what you want?". She had her tantrums and frustration b/c she was no longer getting her way anymore, but she finally came around and is extremely social/vocal now.
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