Concern over speaking to young children

[AstralMystic]

I never once worried about this until today. It has never really posed a problem. This afternoon however, I got into the front door of my building at the exact same time as my neighbor, who had four young children with her. I was checking my main in the front entrance, when the littlest of them, probably about four of five, asked me what my name is, while the lady unlocked the building door. Now, the poor little guy got nothing in response but a bunch or rather graceless and awkward sounding noise. I really tried, but it just didn't work. I worry I might have scared him or something. I hope I have not upset my neighbor, or of course those children. You would think that most people would be at least somewhat aware of stuttering... but a four year old? At that age they are still not aware of everything hat is out there. He might have simply thought I was being funny, I'm hoping. Anyone else ever stuttered while speaking to a very small child? I would have to assume it's not uncommon. I mean who does not ever deal with children, lol. In your dealings with this kind of thing, what the heck do you do?

[grantM]

Hmm I stutter fairly consistently around differently aged people. Kids though are very inquisitive and very honest. They are also normally very quickly accepting I find. Maybe talk to your neighbour about the situation so they know you are not some sort of weirdo. I think once explained to he children all will be fine and they will be totally accepting of it

[emily445455]

I worked at a daycare for a long time (was with 3-5 yr olds) and use to stutter a lot in front of the kids. Most of them just waited patiently for me to finish what I was saying.

Sometimes if I was reading a story and would get stuck on a certain word some of them would say things like "you get stuck there"...but it didn't bother them either way.

Kids are amazingly understanding and flexible at that age.

[cjm555]

I worked at a daycare for a long time (was with 3-5 yr olds) and use to stutter a lot in front of the kids. Most of them just waited patiently for me to finish what I was saying.

Sometimes if I was reading a story and would get stuck on a certain word some of them would say things like "you get stuck there"...but it didn't bother them either way.

Kids are amazingly understanding and flexible at that age.

yes they are! my twin sisters (4 years old) dont seem to care either way. but then my sister next (7 years old) is a pain in the *** like any other 7 year old and tries to guess. my oldest sister (16 years old) knows whats up.. she'll throw out sarcastic comments every now and then but i deserve it... i'm a very sarcastic person.


and yes... my parents only had 1 boy , me, and 4 girls... i'm just glad i'm out of the house before they all hit that "maturing" age lol

[JDRow]

I watch my sister's kids a lot, and I stutter around them. Sometimes a lot, sometimes not much, but they definitely hear me stutter. She has four kids, and the older three have all asked me at one point, when they got old enough to notice, why I talk the way I do. I just said that I stutter, and I can't help it, and they seemed to understand. Once in a while one of them will mention it, but not that often. My one niece, when she was 4 and 5, used to tell me "that was a big stuck" when I would have a bad block, but she grew out of doing that and none of the others mention it very often. One of my brothers has kids, too, but he doesn't like me talking to them because I guess he thinks stuttering's contagious.

[agantx]

One of my big fears is talking with little children because I stutter a lot most of the time. This fear is made worse because in the past many people didn’t understand me no matter how hard I tried to be understood. :(

At this point in my life it seems impossible for me to overcome this illogical fear. But I’m confident that with a lot of hard work and determination I’ll overcome it along with all my fears.

[JDRow]

And if asked why you talk funny, just say that special people talk that way.

I probably wouldn't say that, just because it's not really an honest answer, and I think that could be confusing for kids. I mean, if a child asked why somebody was in a wheelchair, I would think "Because special people use wheelchairs" might be confusing. I think even small kids, if they're old enough to ask the question, can understand that some people have trouble walking, and so need wheelchairs. I think they can also understand that some people have trouble talking.

Maybe some of it depends on the age of the kid. My nieces and nephews have asked me about it when they were young, like 4-6, and they were just genuinely curious, and not trying to be jerks, so I think they deserved an honest answer.

[grantM]

Kids are inquisitive and once they are told in general they would probably not batter an eyelid over you stuttering again. Ahh to be a kid again

[happy7117]

My solution:

Ignore the kid and pretend you didn't hear them, and go about your business.

Hey, that's a great idea. I should start playing deaf when people make a mean remark about me or my stuttering.

If people want to ask me a question, and I have a shitty stuttering day which is always, I'll just ignore them.

Just because I ignore a person doesn't mean I'm rude or anti-social-it's to save the trouble of stuttering.

[Count]

I've never spoken to little children so far. Might sound strange, but it's the truth.
I even stutter when talking to my cat.

[peebee]

My solution:

Ignore the kid and pretend you didn't hear them, and go about your business.

Hey, that's a great idea. I should start playing deaf when people make a mean remark about me or my stuttering.

If people want to ask me a question, and I have a shitty stuttering day which is always, I'll just ignore them.

Just because I ignore a person doesn't mean I'm rude or anti-social-it's to save the trouble of stuttering.

sounds anti-social and rude to me

[emily445455]

sounds anti-social and rude to me

Ditto.

...too short....

[JDRow]

Also, even if you aren't intending to be anti-social and rude, that's how other people are going to perceive you. It was a big wake-up to me when I realized that a lot of other people thought I was rude or a jerk, or a rude jerk, because of how I acted around them. I wasn't trying to be rude, but ignoring people and not talking to them when they are trying to involve you in a conversation is rude. I realized that I'd rather have people know I was a stutterer than think I was an asshole.

[Adrian]

One of my brothers has kids, too, but he doesn't like me talking to them because I guess he thinks stuttering's contagious.


JD, I hope you don't mind me saying this, but your brother sounds like an ignorant jerk. What he can't take five minutes to read up on stuttering on the internet and find his view are wrong? Well I guess I can't blame him though, some people on this very group are ignorant enough to believe this kind of nonsense. I hope one day this insanity will stop.

[grantM]

Hey 5% of children stutter any how, only 1% continue on to adulthood

[AstralMystic]

Only 1% of the adult population stutters? Wow, I had no idea the number was so low. Hmmm... that could well explain why people are still unaware of what it really is and who we really are.

[grantM]

Only 1% of the adult population stutters? Wow, I had no idea the number was so low. Hmmm... that could well explain why people are still unaware of what it really is and who we really are.

That is the generally accepted academic figure. Too many people focus on this though and do not put it into real numbers. People are largely unaware about stuttering in my opinion because stutterers themselves do not rise up that much to create awareness. Everyone her think about what they did for last year's International Stuttering Awareness Day. I would say not much, myself included. This year will be different. There actually is a lot of research occuring in the area. One university in Oz alone recently was awarded 4.3 mill for a program. We have to educate the masses whether we like it or not

[nate]

my babies now understand simple instructions and I talk to them whenever I can. i dont stutter much but their favorite response is "hmmm?"
Me: Honey wheres mummy?
Honey: hmmm?
Me: wheres Mummy?
Honey: hmmm?
Me: Mummy...
Honey: mummy?
Me: Yes...wheres mummy?
Honey: hmmm?

This can go on indefinately...i know...i've tried. I can feel my hairs turning white.
Nate

[nate]

moral of the above...if u dont have to...dont talk to 'em

[Silent]

Also, even if you aren't intending to be anti-social and rude, that's how other people are going to perceive you. It was a big wake-up to me when I realized that a lot of other people thought I was rude or a jerk, or a rude jerk, because of how I acted around them. I wasn't trying to be rude, but ignoring people and not talking to them when they are trying to involve you in a conversation is rude. I realized that I'd rather have people know I was a stutterer than think I was an asshole.

I think it's perfectly appropriate for a very severe stutterer not to respond when asked. We have the right to avoid pain, and if others don't understand it it's their problem. If you're not very severe, you'll probably not understand it either.
I too would rather have people know I stutter, but how do I let them know? Carry around a card that says "I stutter, please leave me alone"?

[emily445455]

my babies now understand simple instructions and I talk to them whenever I can. i dont stutter much but their favorite response is "hmmm?"
Me: Honey wheres mummy?
Honey: hmmm?
Me: wheres Mummy?
Honey: hmmm?
Me: Mummy...
Honey: mummy?
Me: Yes...wheres mummy?
Honey: hmmm?

This can go on indefinately...i know...i've tried. I can feel my hairs turning white.
Nate

Haha, nice.

[cjm555]

one of my cousins, i have a feeling, is going to stutter. most people in my family think the same thing... he talks just like i did when i was his age. trying to get everything out to fast and has way to much to say just like i did lol

[cjm555]

edit if i could: my cousin is almost 4 by the way