Baby Talk

[Lissa Kristine]

Am I the only one who can't stand baby talk?

I'm not talking about speaking in a higher pitch. I'm talking about adults using "cutesy" words.

"Drink your milky."
"Yum! Someone has eggies for breakfast."
"Come give huggies!"

Milk. Eggs. Hugs.

My current boss also speaks to the 2-5 year olds like they are babies. Calling them "baby," snuggling them as soon as they lose their balance and stumble a little (even if they show NO signs of being hurt). The oldest three kids get "school time" maybe once every few weeks where they are learning the basics of letter and number recognition. The younger kids get to play during that time. I completely disagree with this. I think at this point, the younger ones should be learning to recognize letters by sight; the older ones should be doing more writing and working on phonics. (I was working on letter recognition with my 18-26 month olds at one point- both with print letters and with sign language... they all knew "A is for apple" in Sign Language... I was moved out before we could do "B is for boots.").

I suspect that this is one of the reasons why one of the boys who will be 5 this summer and heading to kindergarten isn't mentally and emotionally ready. He's been in the same school since he was a baby, and there has been very little structure and routine in place compared to a lot of places. Kids don't just turn 4 and know how to sit down and listen to a story.

Anyone else cringe at the sound of "baby talk".

[Gemma]

Am I the only one who can't stand baby talk?

I'm not talking about speaking in a higher pitch. I'm talking about adults using "cutesy" words.

"Drink your milky."
"Yum! Someone has eggies for breakfast."
"Come give huggies!"

Milk. Eggs. Hugs.

My current boss also speaks to the 2-5 year olds like they are babies. Calling them "baby," snuggling them as soon as they lose their balance and stumble a little (even if they show NO signs of being hurt). The oldest three kids get "school time" maybe once every few weeks where they are learning the basics of letter and number recognition. The younger kids get to play during that time. I completely disagree with this. I think at this point, the younger ones should be learning to recognize letters by sight; the older ones should be doing more writing and working on phonics. (I was working on letter recognition with my 18-26 month olds at one point- both with print letters and with sign language... they all knew "A is for apple" in Sign Language... I was moved out before we could do "B is for boots.").

I suspect that this is one of the reasons why one of the boys who will be 5 this summer and heading to kindergarten isn't mentally and emotionally ready. He's been in the same school since he was a baby, and there has been very little structure and routine in place compared to a lot of places. Kids don't just turn 4 and know how to sit down and listen to a story.

Anyone else cringe at the sound of "baby talk".

I can't stand it either!
I do not correct a parent, but I do correct a child when old enough to know better
I'd say something like this: " Name, if you call it a horsy when it comes time to learn rhymes, you'll have a hard time"

[daycarediva]

I agree with the baby talk, self help, and not coddling children.

I HIGHLY disagree with the academic skills. There is definitive proof that child who know letters/sounds earlier do no better than peers who learned it later. In fact, studies are now finding that kids who were forced academics early on do worse in early elementary than children who were allowed to develop and progress naturally. It's developmentally inappropriate to expect the same out of a 2yo and 4yo.

[storybookending]

The actual baby talk in the squeaky voice I don’t do but I am guilty of using some of the children’s words. I’ll occassionally call it “nack time” instead of “snack time”. I don’t care if they want to call a horse a horsey or a kitten a kitty. It’s all the same to me.

I also don’t push academics at all. We do letter recognition and sing songs and what not but I don’t push it on kids that have no interest. I’m more interested in self help skills, I’ll take a 2 year old that can put their own shoes on, zip up their jackets, use the potty (I guess I use this “baby” word too) themselves and wash their own hands and face after meals than a kid who can recite the ABCs from memory.

[Blackcat31]

I agree with the baby talk, self help, and not coddling children.

I HIGHLY disagree with the academic skills. There is definitive proof that child who know letters/sounds earlier do no better than peers who learned it later. In fact, studies are now finding that kids who were forced academics early on do worse in early elementary than children who were allowed to develop and progress naturally. It's developmentally inappropriate to expect the same out of a 2yo and 4yo.

Yes this! ^^

Self help skills should be the focus rather than academics in the traditional sense. You can always embed ABC/1,2 3's into your play but focusing specifically on it, isn't really developmentally appropriate practice at all.

As for the baby talk, I just straight up tell a parent that their child will benefit much more from normal spoken words than being talked "down to". I usually then break out into my 'baby talk is condescending to your kid/they are much smarter than you are giving them credit for' spiel.

[CeriBear]

I hate talking in a squeaky voice and using baby talk when talking to my preschoolers. I prefer to say horse instead of horsey, snack instead of snackie, and blanket instead of blankie. If a kid refers to a horse as a horsey I do not correct them of course.

One kiddie word I’m guilty of using is ouchie or owwie for injuries. It just seems easier to say Johnny got a ouchie rather than Johnny fell down and hurt his knee.

[lblanke]

Potty is my only "baby word."

[Unregistered]

Whose ready for bite bites? Ugh

[storybookending]

Whose ready for bite bites? Ugh

Never heard this one. I have one that calls every meal num nums (yum yums)

[Unregistered]

I have heard that one too. What gets me is when the teachers say it.