ankiew, Peej and Sowiee ~ three words never sounded more beautiful to me.. or were more truly spoken… perhaps.
The moment a child is born.. a chain of expectation starts that never really stops through our entire life. Everyone else seems to know better about the child's upbringing than the parents themselves. Barely out of the hospital.. and the quizzing starts - perhaps the most common take off query is- how much does the baby weigh.. and what would you do; knowing about it please? Oh he sleeps all days .. or doesn't sleep at all .. has he/ she stared crawling? - 10 months and not stood by himself yet… what about talking? O’ my daughter .. grandson, friend’s son.., etc, etc, started talking by 9 and was running by 10 month and singing songs by his 14th month!!! Yes, in no time - if you don't hold your ground or know what you are doing exactly- You will be pushed into a cycle of depression and guilt … your baby is either too thin or obese; you are either feeding too much or too little .. how can you leave the TV to babysit and go and take a bath or try to finish some household chores that is lying piled up for last so many weeks and month. Isn't walking yet? - give the child a walker or better still hold up the child and make them walk. still not talking .. keep forcing the words down their throat till they are fed up and starts parroting you!
Sit back and take a deep breathe- Nature has intended that a baby will turn, crawl, stand and walk (considering there is no physical or health shortcoming) when the child is ready. The child will start talking when he/she has processed the language and learnt, and decided what they need to speak or want to communicate first. For it is true- that there is no point in learning to speak or say things we don't feel the need to communicate. Also at times a child growing up in multilingual atmosphere takes longer to speak. Communication has two aspects ‘receptive language’ and ‘expressive language’. So, though your child may not be expressing in spoken words but observe her / him - he or she will rarely fail to communicate what she likes or dislikes; wants or don’t want. Also we may not realise but their receptive language is much more developed by this point, notice how well they can manipulate your feelings:) it is just that we have to be patient enough to learn their mode of communication -because their little grey cells are busy processing all the sound and words the child is hearing around them and quietly making a choice of what they needs to utter and communicate first. So, no hurry… But no, some people around you truly believes that if you don't TEACH a child to speak it will not..!
Our little girl took her time (by some people’s chart) in picking up certain things.. we also weren’t exactly in a hurry to see her through things. Perhaps we are amongst those who likes to take things easy in life:) At 2yrs of age her vocabulary is some 25 odd words .. and I don't know by family or social norm how ahead or behind is that, nor do I care. But of those 25 words and amongst the first 10- 15 words that she learnt - Mama, bo'h(sit) aa'h (come), de(give) No, Bow'bow, Bit-tut (Bidyut) meow, Bye bye and Hi were the 3 most beautiful words- ‘Aankiew’, ‘Peej’ and ‘Sowiee’ ..for us that would be- Thank you, Please and Sorry and never were they more sincerely used ..
And as of now I am savouring these moments of Aankiew, peej and sowiee.. that dots like little musical jewels through my day. I know soon a day will come when mothers around me will be comparing their kids grade outside the school gate.. and asking me how my daughter faired... why is she learning to paint and not to dance or why to dance and not to skate.. what is she going to do after boards. why Arts and not science.. 25 and still not married... um’ well.. I know.. I am getting a bit worked up here! But yes.. my girl take your time, no hurry...
Choose your words carefully and weigh them.. so when you speak, you know what you mean... No hurry. Choose carefully... :)
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