So I realize that we are all having babies, but

AllieJean · April 2010

Does anyone else get really annoyed when they hear people "baby talk?" I absolutly CANT stand that, I just think it makes people sound dumb and it doesnt help the babies to learn what words are supposed to sound like. Sorry vent over, just wondered if I was the only one that feels like this.

sherina825 · April 2010

I have always said this. Why can't people use their words when talking to babies? I hate it when people do it to my stomach though. EWWW... Creepy.

MorissaW · April 2010

I hate baby talk!

Erin0922 · April 2010

its always annoyed the cr@p outta me. Ad now I do it. LOL.

In my defense, my voice just gets squeaky. I still use "adult" words.

claire1983 · April 2010

This pretty much annoys me too. My MIL is going to drive me nuts with this...you should hear her talk to her wittle doggy woggy. I can only imagine how she will be with her first grand child!

tyke29 · April 2010

I don't mind soft talking or making some sounds, but the stupid stuff bothers me. So for the family and friends that just visit, whatever will be fine. However for the ones that we are around all the time, I will talk to them about it if it starts to bother me. Plus, IMO babies need to hear real words and sounds. You know - be talked to in a normal way.

sherina825 · April 2010

DC2London:
As a teacher I see soooo many kids with speech delays and as soon as I meet their parents I understand why...the baby talk doesn't necessarily cause speech problems, but it certainly doesn't help!

Maybe this is why I'm sensitive about who keeps my child. MIL offered to keep my LO when I go back to school because she's retired. Very nice gesture, but MIL just doesn't pronounce many words well enough in my opinion and I don't want to LO to pick up her lack of speech. DH says some of the things that she does and I end up correcting him, then I feel bad.

nicki070810 · April 2010

I strongly dislike baby talk...but I also hate it when parents talk to their kids like they're adults!

willowcormar · April 2010

I can't stand it either. I know full gown adults who talk like this because they were always talked to like babies. Some baby talk is OK but not all the time.

gilbrech · April 2010

Everyone is always so amazed when they talk to my son. He is four and since before he was two he has been using complete sentences to express his thoughts and feelings. He uses words like parched, be that as it may, and properly (as in when a toy is broken he says it is not working properly). Everyone always asks how he learns these things and it is just that my husband and I talk to him. We have always talked to him and when he was interested in a word we would pronounce it for him. We have always read to him every night before bedtime. Right now we are halfway through the first Harry Potter book. We include him in our conversations, explaining things as we go along, instead of talking to to each other around him. I'm not saying that any of these things are the reason why he speaks the way he does but I think they do have something to do with it.

canamama · April 2010

I can't even stand when my kids do it.

anabell0920 · April 2010

Erin0922:
its always annoyed the cr@p outta me. Ad now I do it. LOL.

In my defense, my voice just gets squeaky. I still use "adult" words.

This! Easy to say you don't like it and wont do it till you have this teeny tiny baby then you just can't help it! lol

AllieJean · April 2010

gilbrech:
Everyone is always so amazed when they talk to my son. He is four and since before he was two he has been using complete sentences to express his thoughts and feelings. He uses words like parched, be that as it may, and properly (as in when a toy is broken he says it is not working properly). Everyone always asks how he learns these things and it is just that my husband and I talk to him. We have always talked to him and when he was interested in a word we would pronounce it for him. We have always read to him every night before bedtime. Right now we are halfway through the first Harry Potter book. We include him in our conversations, explaining things as we go along, instead of talking to to each other around him. I'm not saying that any of these things are the reason why he speaks the way he does but I think they do have something to do with it.

This is how my family has always been with the kids too, and they have all spoken very well at young ages. DH's faimly on the other hand baby talks till it makes me want to kill someone and ALL of their kids have had to go through speech therapy. I know we are going to have problems with DH's parents, FIL already baby talks to my tummy ugh

JenCrabbe13 · April 2010

This annoys me. CW and I were at lunch yesterday and the woman sitting beside us was talking baby talk to her child. I thought, "do you hear yourself woman?"

bootcampbride · April 2010

Just to throw a wrench in to the mix - when a baby is little the change in intonation and volume helps keep a baby interested (I have a degree in linguistics) and is useful for early langauage development - turn taking etc. It just shouldn't persist past the first year.

Sarah_Fay · April 2010

I totally agree! ?I have already asked several family members to please not use baby talk once LO gets here. ?

seawatch06 · April 2010

Totally agree. My daughter for example says "TB" instead of TV and my inlaws think it's cute to call it the TB now. Um, how will that teach her what the real word is? She also says "sweep" instead of "sleep" because for some reason her "sl" words are harder for her, and again, I had to tell my inlaws to stop copying her and instead say it the right way so she learns! UGH.

BabyBalogh · April 2010

Ugh I hate baby talk! Idk if you watched 16 and pregnant last night but the girl kept baby talking and it was getting sooo annoying. I definitely agree that it makes people sound dumb...

AmandaJane1 · April 2010

bootcampbride:
Just to throw a wrench in to the mix - when a baby is little the change in intonation and volume helps keep a baby interested (I have a degree in linguistics) and is useful for early langauage development - turn taking etc. It just shouldn't persist past the first year.

This. There is a time and place for the sing-songy baby talk. But after awhile I completely agree with talking to your child in a more mature way, using proper English.

What really bothers me is parents who don't talk to their babies. In the beginning, it doesn't matter what you say, its just how much you talk, make expressive faces, and engage them in the world.

teelaman · April 2010

AmandaJane1:
bootcampbride:
Just to throw a wrench in to the mix - when a baby is little the change in intonation and volume helps keep a baby interested (I have a degree in linguistics) and is useful for early langauage development - turn taking etc. It just shouldn't persist past the first year.

This. There is a time and place for the sing-songy baby talk. But after awhile I completely agree with talking to your child in a more mature way, using proper English.
What really bothers me is parents who don't talk to their babies. In the beginning, it doesn't matter what you say, its just how much you talk, make expressive faces, and engage them in the world.

This. I totally used the sing-song voice on my nieces and nephews (and I even do it to my dogs!). But the sing-song voice is where it ends - I hate it when people make up an entirely fake word to rhyme it with a real word, like "baby waby" or "daddy waddy" or "doggy woggy".

chazlewo · April 2010

Motherese is appropriate and encouraged for an infant (raising intonation, volume, repetition of syllables, etc) for speech and language development... however, consistent use of incorrect pronunciation is not ok.

i know it can be cute to hear a little one mispronounce a word, but consistent use of baby talk (i.e., imitating the mispronunciations) only reinforces speech errors. Also, why deprive your child of exposure to a rich vocabulary and linguistic structure... ok, stepping off soap box.

chazlewo · April 2010

gilbrech:
Everyone is always so amazed when they talk to my son. He is four and since before he was two he has been using complete sentences to express his thoughts and feelings. He uses words like parched, be that as it may, and properly (as in when a toy is broken he says it is not working properly). Everyone always asks how he learns these things and it is just that my husband and I talk to him. We have always talked to him and when he was interested in a word we would pronounce it for him. We have always read to him every night before bedtime. Right now we are halfway through the first Harry Potter book. We include him in our conversations, explaining things as we go along, instead of talking to to each other around him. I'm not saying that any of these things are the reason why he speaks the way he does but I think they do have something to do with it.

Sounds like you are doing a great job with your son! I love to hear stories like this!

earthycrunchymama · April 2010

It really annoys the crap out of me. also, I hate cartoons that do it too. Stick out tongue

I get talked to as a child ALL the time just because I'm in a wheelchair. and I'm almost 30. why can't people treat each other normally no matter what age they are or their ability? Tongue Tied

MTClaire · April 2010

sherina825:
I have always said this. Why can't people use their words when talking to babies? I hate it when people do it to my stomach though. EWWW... Creepy.

Yes! My SIL does this all the time - she squats down and yells at my belly in baby-talk! Glad she cares, but it still creeps me out.

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