Requiring Verbalization

We've been busy painting and rearranging bedrooms so I haven't had much time to blog.

But, this summer has been great for my son because he's had so much interaction with his siblings. One of his sisters is especially good with working with him. She spends a lot of time playing with him and urging him to use words. He loves to be with her and usually chooses to sit with her or play with her because she's spent so much time with him. I've loved watching their relationship develop over the summer.

We've all made a goal to make him use words instead of signs. Today, he wanted some of his brother's pancake so he made a cutting motion with his hand to indicate his desire. Of course, we all knew what he wanted. We almost always know what he wants, but when we allow him to use signs we aren't helping him to develop his verbal skills.

He asked me for a drink this morning by signing it. I made him say "drink" before I gave it to him. He always signs "thank you" but now we're making him actually say the words. I think if we are more diligent in making him use words instead of signs he'll advance in his verbal skills better.

That's easier said than done, but I need to be more committed in requiring him to be verbal. I think he can be much more verbal than he is but signing is easier so he relies on that. I hoping to pull more verbalization out of him in the next few months.