my 18 month old son?

Question

Hi i have just asked a question about my 4 year old i need to ask another one. My 18 month old son is a mummy's boy whenever i leave the room to do something he starts crying i have left him before but he still cries. He follows me about like a lost lamb. He is also a lazy talker how many words is a 18 month meant to say. he understands everything he is very smart, but lazy when it comes to talking. I just need to know how can i get him to talk a bit more, and how do i stop this mummy boy thing.

Answer 1

There is no absolute pattern for the very young. From you
describe, he is within a normal pattern of behaviour.
However, it would help if he had more contact with
kids of his own age. Why not try a nursery school?
They are well accustomed in handling this kind o problem.
I wish you, wife and kids all the best.

Answer 2

Hi, my daughter who is 5 now seemed to go thru this stage. At about this time (18 months to 2 years) we had decided to put her in daycare two days a week. This extra exposure to other children her age seemed to help a lot when it came to breaking away from Mommy and with introducing her to new words. If daycare is not an option for you, you can always get your son into some playgroups. Every little bit of time will help.

It is also important to remember that all children develop differently. According to the book: Caring For Your Baby and Young Child, at 18 months your son should say several single words. From between 2-3 years, your son should say about 50 words. So, I don't think you need to worry just yet.

Answer 3

Sing and talk to him, all the time, he'll talk when he is ready. If it really is laziness then try to get him to say what it is before giving into him.

On the other hand if like my 28 month old boy- he doesn't talk either, I'm not sure if it is a problem or he's just holding back but either way I'm not falsing him to talk, every time he says the odd word cleary, it makes my day.

as for the mummys boy, get on with whatever you are doing let him get used to it tell him all the time where you are going, he will check up on you, but one day he'll trust you.
And who's to say that something hasn't scared him before?
Why would you want to leave him (your question sort of implies you'd be leaving him on his - only for a few minutes, I'm sure)

Answer 4

As far as being a mummy's boy... not much you can do about it. Try having him spend more time with daddy.

I think your son is probably going through seperation anxiety. All toddlers go through this stage and will outgrow it.

As for speaking and talking... He's 18 months old... give him time. If by 30 months (2 1/2 yrs), he is still not talking much, I would try to get him evalutated for speech therapy. Some are done at the public school at the age of 3 years.

My 3 yr old is taking speech therapy at our local public school, she is considered to be 6 months behind on speech.

Answer 5

i read a question like this in the paper last week, i have a 13 month old who cries when i leave the room, the reply in the paper i read was...leave the room and dont feel guilty if he cries, then each time you leave the room leave it a little longer before you return. right, i dont know if this works as my daughter has right tantrums when i walk into a different room and leave her playing on the floor with my husband in the same room, i did try leaving her but felt too guilty (so i went and picked her up)
Regarding speaking, my friends little boy is 22 months, all he says is mummy and daddy, he understands what you say to him,we have come to the conclusion he will talk when he is ready, all children are different, he will surprise you when you least expect it!

Answer 6

He's still a baby! My second son was also a slow talker - hardly spoke until he was three. He's 24 now and he's perfectly fine! By the way, he was a bit of a mummy's boy too. He's gentle and sweet. His girlfriend adores him, they're planning on getting married. Let him be the person he wants to be!
Had no end of problems with my eldest - a "real" boy with a chip on his shoulder.

Answer 7

Ask your health visitor. Some kids get going at different rates, don't be hassled by what other mums say - their kids are always the fastest talkers, quickest walkers, etc....it's almost a form of competition. Remember, you can't lose a competition you haven't entered!

He likes being around you, but you need to try to get him to bond with others. Do you have a partner? See if he'll take them swimming / whatever as a boys day out. Make a big deal of it and them, and encourage your 4 year old to really get involved too. It (a) gives you some time to chill and (b) encourages them to make boy bonds which are important too.

Answer 8

Talking will come in it's own time. My daughter and her 2nd brother were over 2 when you could actually understand them and my middle child was talking full sentences before he was two. So I would just make sure that when he wants something and you hand it to him, just repeat what it is you are giving to him 2 or 3 times so he knows how to say it. As for the crying when you leave the room, I can't help you there because I never went through it.. Sorry. But good luck

Answer 9

All children are different, as long as you talk to him, read to him and provide a rich and descriptive environment then he will catch up, unless there is something wrong, in which case the health visitor should pick it up in one of the regular development checks.

As for being a mummy's boy, you should not at this age try to pry them apart, I think he is demonstrating a need that needs to be fulfilled, not acted against. Now if he were eight and still being clingy to Mom then that would need different action!

Answer 10

Give him some time. He is at that age where they are most attached to the parent. The talking will come in time, too. My son didn't say much till he was 2 years old, now he doesn't stop. Every child is different. !8 months old is still a baby.