I’ve already posted about how my daughter is a super-talker, but have I mentioned how draining this can be at times? It seems that especially in the afternoons, as she’s getting tired, instead of becoming more placid, my daughter gets even more amped up. Her chatter shifts into warp-speed mode and her ability to rapid-fire questions (rarely pausing to listen to the answer, mind you) simply sets my head spinning. I can’t even think of responses, much less form words in my mouth before she’s pounced onto the next thing. It would seem that that best strategy to handle this would be to simply ignore her, but that just makes her double her efforts.
I’m assuming this is a phase and from others’ posts I’ve read around the Internets, by the time she’s fifteen I’ll wonder if she even knows how to speak at all. We’ll see about that!
In the meantime, I’m looking for ways to settle down the jabber, as the more she spins up, the faster she seems to go. This lead me to a great article on dealing with backtalk. My daughter isn’t quite five, so even when she does talk back, I don’t think it’s genuine “backtalk” in the sense of the sassy, disillusioned teenager. All the same, I can’t help but interpret her responses as being sassy, much as I tell myself they are not intended that way – she genuinely seems to be trying to convey her understanding of things, not questioning my statements.
I found the article on backtalk to be pretty refreshing because it got me thinking about the subtext of these exchanges. It doesn’t matter that I’m dealing with a preschooler instead of middle schooler. Her intentions may be pure, but my interpretations of her interruptions and questioning are what lead to my agitation. The article helped me recognize that I don’t have to convince my children I’m “right” or why my judgment is sound (“No, you may not have cookies right before dinner”). When my daughter lobs a counter point to something I’ve just said, I get annoyed because I feel like she’s constantly questioning my authority. It turns out that if I don’t engage in feeling like my judgment is being questioned – I don’t need to prove a point, I just need to state it – things will go more smoothly.
What do you think? How do you handle back talk and constant chatter from your five year old (or under)?
I do love your description about how the constant chatter makes your head spin – because, yes, that’s exactly it! And not being able to even form answers yourself – yes again! Sometimes it feels like my mind is literally boggling. And there’s only so many time I can answer, ‘well, let’s ask daddy!’ you’d think boys wouldn’t chatter so much, but my 5 yr old boy doesn’t stop – yet when someone other than immediate family try to talk to him, they’re met with silence!!! Sorry not to have any advice- but I did enjoy your post!
I think I am that backtalker by nature. People are always feeling like I am critisizng them when really I just want to know WHY. I especially I want to know why I can’t do things. If I know the reasoning behind a “no”, I might be able to figure out a rationale to get what I want that the person I’m questioning hasn’t thought of. 😀
Funny – that’s the exact circumstance the article talks about – where the “child” (or in this case you) tries to discover the reasoning behind the decision so they can create a counter argument. Heh.