Does your toddler really not want to engage OR do we need to dig a little deeper?

January 18, 2023 Leave a comment

My toddler doesn’t want to engage in speech therapy. No joint attention skills.
They won’t sit still. They don’t want to participate…

Well…why is this happening? It’s up to us (SLPs & parents) to build a meaningful connection with them. It’s important that we do the work to figure it out together as parents & SLPs. Why don’t they “want to engage”?

When we build a connection with our little ones, follow their lead, and support what is meaningful to them, they will WANT to engage. Life is all about connecting & our little ones want the same.

Here are some questions to ask yourself if you feel your toddler
is not engaging in the activities you present:

-Is it too challenging OR not challenging enough?

-Are there sensory supports that need to be put in place so that they feel comfortable and safe? Maybe the child needs a more calming environment OR a more stimulating one. They may be seeking some movement.

-Are we truly following their lead or trying to force an activity on them? Just because we have toys in front of us doesn’t necessarily mean we are participating in what is meaningful play for the child.

-Are we overwhelming them with too many directions/questions so that things go “as planned”? Things rarely ever go as planned with toddlers. Do we provide boundaries? Yes. Are we just trying to turn them into compliant robots? You answer that.

Dig a little deeper during your sessions. Lol wait, whenever I type “dig a little deeper”, all I can think about is that Friends episode where Phoebe says: “Come on Ross, you’re a paleontologist, dig a little deeper!” 🤣🦕

If you’re interested in learning more, 1:1 consultations are now available for both SLPs & Parents. Click HERE to book your spot! Limited spots available.

I also go over this topic in more detail in my Early Intervention Course for SLPs .

We can always go the ✨extra mile✨ to research something new that may work for your little one and your family.

With love & joy,
Tiffany (@TalkTeaSpeech)