Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Help: Slow Down

It's backwards day again. Instead of giving advice, I ask for advice.

The last backwards edition, I asked for advice on keeping my sanity with a dawdling toddler. A couple of the ideas are working great, but now I have a whole other issue on my hands.

Emily has started stuttering really bad. Not just the normal get excited kind of stuttering. She can repeat a syllable a dozen times before the word comes out and is getting really frustrated with herself.

So I googled toddler stuttering and found some advice, but now I need advice on how to do that advice. And that last sentence made total sense didn't it!

Ok, anyway, several doctors suggested that I slow down when I talk to her and just slow down our general pace of life. Do you see the problem? I have a dawdling toddler who I'm trying to teach not to dawdle, and now I'm supposed to slow down.

And that doesn't even take in consideration that I also have a four year old and an ornery 16 month old (Mom, no need to stick up for Becca Sue....she's a cute ornery 16 month old!).

So here's what I need....some practical advice on slowing down. I still have to get everything done....three girls dressed, teeth brushed, hair fixed, etc. Oh and they have to eat too. Anyway, how in the world am I going to slow down?

Hit me with your best advice!

Carrie

9 comments:

Mamabug said...

Carrie, you share what you find out and I will share what I find out. Deal? Great minds think alike. Maybe that is desperate minds think a like? I'll check with my speech therapist friend and see what she says.

Mamabug

C said...

Plan ahead the night before as much as humanly possible! The more you can do to have YOU ready will also help tremendously (because ... well, you are much more predictable! ha!). Also, children NEED down time and to do things at their own pace. That may mean an earlier bedtime, and waking a bit early - to build it in to the day.

Their job is to learn through play, so basically you are coming in and interrupting their job ... and it ticks them off. So, view it from that angle, and find ways to let them "do their job" yet still be able to do yours!

My oldest had some MAJOR stuttering at that age, and naturally outgrew it over many months.

tickledpink.nicole said...

At different develpmental stages your brain can work faster than your body. Sounds like you've got a smart kid on your hands! I don't doubt that she'll out grow it.

Anonymous said...

How about giving Becca to me? Maybe that will relieve some of the burden.

;)

Kim said...

My son also went through the stuttering phase - brain worked faster than his mouth :) I wouldn't worry too much and just tell her to take a breath and try again if she gets frustrated.

As for slowing down - I am with whoever said to get really organized - I find when I do things the night before I am much more relaxes getting ready the next day. Pack lunches, prep meals, put out clothing, pack backpacks etc... as much as possible the night before - I also live by my lists - everything goes on a list before bed so that I don't worry about forgetting anything and get a good nights sleep.

Best of luck - and don't forget to breathe :)

Anonymous said...

Here's a thought...Be sure you yourself get time alone with the Lord (journaling is a practical way to slow down as well as discover insights and trends in your life). Ask Him for insight into the pace of your everyday life. Ask Him for peace at a personal level, for yourself and your family. When the kids were young, I used to be much more frenetic and harried; but as I simply asked for a steadiness in my own heart/spirit--from the Holy Spirit--it translated into a steadier mood and pace at a practical level. The tone of our household is most calm when my husband and I are calm and steady from having met with the Lord. My own tone/mood has a huge influence on everybody and is directly affected by my relationship with the Lord (or lack thereof). I felt much freer to take the time to stoop down, look my kids in the eyes, and let them say all that they need to say when we weren't in a manic rush...this inner peace that I'm trying to describe was a big part of that. They felt it, I'm sure. I'm sure your child will, too, as the entire family slows down and exudes soul-level calm and focus.

The practical suggestions of being organized is a great complement to this more prayerful, interior approach.

SAHMmy Says said...

I purposefully UNDERschedule our lives. For instance, on Sundays our only "to do" is getting to church on time. On days I have an appointment, that's all I do for that day. I'm blessed to have a cheap grocery store right up the street--now I only have to shop for food once a week at one store. Target and Costco runs are now on alternate weeks (saves time and money!) My son is almost four and still doesn't pronounce L's, R's, or hard C's. I'm really not too worried about this and will not take him to therapy unless it doesn't work itself out before age 7 or if he says it bothers him. My niece started stuttering quite a bit around age 4--my sister was keeping a ridiculously fast paced schedule and she also thought that might be contributing to her daughter's speech patterns. She slowed down as best she could and also taught her daughter to pause and collect her thoughts before speaking. She's 6 now and her speech is clear as a bell--though still punctuated by long pauses in between sentences! You're doing the right thing just by thinking to ask the questions! Obviously you're a very good Mama :)

SAHMmy Says said...
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~Amber~ said...

My best friend's daughter started stuttering really bad at age 3, out of the blue and at age 8 was still really bad. She recently started working with the speech teacher at school and the one thing that is helping is having her talk in a whisper. No idea why it works, but when she whispers, she doesn't stutter at all. Maybe try it out with Emily! Good luck!