Communication - Still a Challenge After All These Years

 RJC: “Mommy, can I put the table clock in the sunroom for the birthday?”

Me: (pause while trying to figure out what a table clock is).

“Can you say that again please?”

RJC: (looks up in the air and concentrates on what she is saying): “Mommy, can I put the table clock in the sunroom for the birthday?”

This time she says it more slowly, obviously wanting me to understand her.

Me: (perplexed): “Can you show me the table clock please?”

RJC reaches into a bag, picks up a plastic birthday tablecloth she bought for Hal’s birthday next month, and shows it to me.

Me: “Oh what a good idea! You can put the tablecloTH (and I over emphasize the “th”) on the table in the sunroom on dad’s birthday! Can you say ‘tablecloTH?”

RJC: repeats it exactly as I said it, with an emphasis on the th sound.

Me: “Excellent, you’ve got it! We can do that on daddy’s birthday.”

RJC: “Ok. Thank you mommy.”

She happily puts it back in the bag.

Communication is still such a huge chore for her but when she’s motivated to get her point across she’ll work at it.

We had another of these communication issues last night when I couldn’t understand what shirt she wanted me to buy her. That one took longer and her frustration showed as her voice got louder. We eventually worked it out.

I can only imagine how frustrated she is on a daily basis - both communicating and understanding. Very proud of my gal this morning for sticking with me as we figured it out!

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122Bill Chernock, Cindy Gervais and 120 others