Paediatric speech and language therapist, Lisa Houghton, talks about ‘talking’ and teaching toddlers the art of communication.
Profile:
Tracey Park & I had been working together in the NHS as paediatric speech & language therapists for many years and had become friends as well as colleagues. For several years we talked about setting up Talking Tots. In 2006 we decided to trial Talking Tots classes whilst still working part time. The classes proved so popular that we branched out and in 2007 launched our first 2 franchises in the
Why did you start your business?
When we were delivering speech & language therapy programmes in schools for children with specific speech & language difficulties, we were increasingly alarmed by the poor listening & attention skills of the general population of children who wouldn’t necessarily fall under the care of the speech & language therapist. Good listening & attention is the foundation for all learning.
What is the secret to your success?
Hard work & passion for what we do.
What annoys you most when you listen to parents talking with their young children?
We get very frustrated when we see parents who don’t listen to their children. Of course it’s not always possible to stop what you’re doing to listen to you child’s long winding story, but we’d suggest that if you can’t listen at the time, let your child know that you’d love to hear what they have to say and make time for the interaction later.
What is one of the most common mistakes that we parents all make regarding talking with our children?
There are two extremes really. There are those parents who don’t talk to their children enough and that can have a major impact on a child’s communicative development. There are also those parents who talk too much! A child needs time to respond and if as a parent you’re giving a constant voiceover throughout the day, your child will have little opportunity to take their turn. Pause and give your child time to respond.
What is your best tip for parents to help nurture their children’s communication skills?
Listen to & accept all of your child’s attempts to communicate. Shape and add to your child’s language If your child attempts a word, repeat it back to them and add to it. For example, if your child says “ba” for ‘ball”. Repeat back to them “ Yes, Ball … let’s roll the ball.” Also make time to talk. Turn off the TV and get down to your child’s level and have fun!
Are your children good communicators?
They are generally … but as with most children they can have selective hearing when it suits them!
What is your greatest achievement in your business?
Helping women to develop their own business & seeing them grow in confidence and skill.
And what has been the worst moment, professionally?
Starting your own business/franchise is always a rollercoaster ride at first and we share the highs but also the lows with our franchisees and that can be hard.
And finally, what do you enjoy most when you are not teaching toddlers to talk?
Spending time with our children.
You can contact Talking Tots through their website: http://www.talkingtots.info/ on Twitter: @LisaTalkingTots @TJPTalkingTots or on FaceBook: LisaTalkingTots
This interview is sponsored by ZooBooKoo at www.zoobookoo.com
