lloerwyn-deactivated20201104:

latter-ace-saint:

How to talk to children

This is based on decades of experience as an uncle and as an older brother.

• Never forget that children are just as much people as adults are.
• Kids 10 years or younger (and sometimes older than that) don’t get sarcasm or irony, so don’t use them.
• If a child has difficulty pronouncing a word, don’t copy their misprounciation when speaking to them. They can hear the word just fine. It could sound to them like you’re making fun of them.
• (Yes, this means no babytalk)
• Don’t be dismissive.
• Listen to what they’re saying.
• To get on the same eye-level, don’t bend over or squat: it seems condescending. Kneeling or sitting are better.
• It should go without saying that you should respect children’s body autonomy. Don’t force affection on them.
• Respect children’s emotional autonomy as well. Let them be angry. Let them be sad. Don’t force them to be happy.
• Let children like things. Don’t run down the things they like just because you find them cringy.
• Don’t think that you know better.
• To children, adults are giants. Be a big friendly giant.
• Don’t stifle children’s curiosity.
• Don’t stifle children’s enthusiasm.
• To quote Sondheim, “Be careful the words you say, children will listen.”
• Don’t look down on children.

As a developmentally disabled person, I’ll add to also not use baby talk to disabled kids. You aren’t making yourself more easily understood, you just look like a real jerk.

Also: don’t assume that if a kid can’t articulate something, it means they aren’t thinking about it.