4yo talking "babytalk" all the time

[Katielady]

My 4yo is extremely verbal, can read already, huge vocabulary, and talks a LOT. Now that my 18mo's language is taking off, though, he's started imitating her. To me it feels like he talks in "babytalk" now more than his normal language. It's really hard because I love having real conversations with him, and I was so happy when he began to really put complex sentences together. And manners are really important to me, and he had been making great strides with them, and now they're out the window. When he wants more water at a meal, for example, he says loudly, "WA-WA! WA-WA!" It is SO grating. I do remind him to use his manners when making requests, but it's exhausting to have to remind him every single time. And I know it's confusing for him because that's how his sister asks for water. We've had talks about how this is how baby sister talks because she's still leaning, and these are the words you know how to use. Doesn't seem to have any effect.

I understand why he's doing it. She gets all this attention now for talking, ("Oh, she said wa-wa, how cute!") and he wants in. Plus he's just inclined to imitate what he hears all day. I've tried lots of positive reinforcement for when he does use age-appropriate language, and I suppose that's all I can do. I try to ignore it when I can (such as just now when he spotted me in the hallway and ran up going MA-MA! MA-MA!!!!!) and just focus on greeting him and the fact that he's happy to see me. Any other suggestions? And can anyone who's been though this tell me how long I can expect it to last?

[titania8]

Yea.....I can relate. My twins (4.5) were both doing that for a while when little brother's language really started picking up. Like your son, my boys are ver verbal and can also read, so to hear this babytalk (which was actually more "babyish" than the actual baby's language...) was, like you said GRATING!! And it was accompanied by this falling down stumbling "I can't walk you need to carry me" behavior as well (even though baby bro had been walking since 8 months old). Good times.

So I did various things- ignore it, play along, get frustrated and forbid it, try tell him (most of the time it was just one boy) he can't do X if he's a baby, X is only for bigger boys, etc. I really think time was the biggest factor. I'd say it lasted about 2 weeks? Felt like FOREVER at the time!! Micah starts up with I
it again briefly last night and I told him I was not even going to entertain the idea of taking more than one baby to the outing we had planned for today, and he stopped. (and yes, I realize that is not the best parenting strategy, but I get desperate sometimes)

good luck and lots of patience to you!

[Mrs-Mama]

I have a 4 year old DS and an 19 month DD, and we are dealing with this as well. Unfortunately I don't have any words of wisdom It's been going on for months and you are right it is very grating. I do try to tell DS that he needs to talk like a 4 year old and DD is talking like a 1 year old and still learning, but he has so much fun with baby talk.

[Kindermama]

My kids have all done this as well....I just say "what?" or "when you can speak more clearly, I can help you..." It must have worked because it never lasted long enough to grate on my nerves!

[greenbeanmama]

Hey, at least your son is using SOME words! My son also is very verbal (and smart - it's a bit embarrassing when we have company for dinner and he starts going into our financial plans for the next year...). But now he's started pointing and grunting when he wants things. I say, "I don't know what you'd like when you don't speak; please use your words." It's really annoying when he needs to go potty and just stands there, pointing in the general direction of the bathroom and says, "Ahhhhh! Ahhh!"

On the other hand, he's picked up OUR baby talk to little sister. He'll say, "That's not a toy for you. You can't have that; no you can't, no you can't!" in a sing-song voice. It is so very cute!

This too shall pass - just be patient!

[Katielady]

Thanks all! Your responses have been really helpful. Sounds like I need a combination of patience and um, battle-choosing. (I'm sure there's a better word for that but I'm sleepy. ) It bothers me the most when he does it when making a request, like saying "mi-mut! mi-mut!" instead of "May I have more rice milk, please?" I'll focus on it as a manners issue. If he wants to act babyish when he's looking for affection (another big time that he does it), I'll ignore the babytalk and answer as though he spoke normally.

I forgot to mention that he also has speech articulation problems that have become more noticible as he's gotten older. We're looking into speech therapy for him, recommended by his pre-k teachers. I wonder how much that plays into this whole thing- both his desire to delve into simpler language, and my frustration with it. (He was just starting to pronounce a few things better before the babytalk thing started!)

Anyway, thanks y'all.

[limabean]

I think it's just a 4-year-old thing. It seems like I hear so many parents of 4-year-olds, with and without younger siblings, who go through a baby-talk phase. My own DS did it, and lots of my friends' kids did too. DS is 5.5 now and hasn't done it now for a long time, so it does pass eventually!

[ewe+lamb]

Originally Posted by Kindermama

My kids have all done this as well....I just say "what?" or "when you can speak more clearly, I can help you..." It must have worked because it never lasted long enough to grate on my nerves!

Yup this is the technique we used too, it worked a treat!

[hopefulfaith]

I needed to hear this this morning! My 3.5 year old won't stop babbling: GAH GAH! MAAAAAH! ...and the like. I want to stick a pencil in my ear.

I'm taking a deep breath and choosing my battles.
Thanks, mamas.

[Cujobunny]

Originally Posted by Kindermama

My kids have all done this as well....I just say "what?" or "when you can speak more clearly, I can help you..." It must have worked because it never lasted long enough to grate on my nerves!

That's what I do also... my ds is 5 and dd is almost 3 and they both love to babytalk. If they hear a baby on tv they imitate it. They love to play "baby". There is a boy in ds' class with speech problems and ds will sometimes come home talking like him. It's irritating because he's been speaking properly since he was 9 months (and dd at 6 months) so I guess they're just playing but it drives me bonkers. I just tell them I can't understand what they're saying and they repeat it in their own voices.

[EdnaMarie]

My 3.5 does this and I hate it, too. I say, "What? What? What?" and if she doesn't clarify, I walk off. I know this isn't the nicest but it reeeeeaaaallly bugs me.