"Talking Right is Overrated"

"Talking right is overrated." Is what Diane said at dinner on Wednesday night. We're sitting there enjoying our Ruby Tuesday steak and mashed potatoes chatting about what ever comes  to mind. Diane had managed to be able to get all the words right that night, but was having a problem pronouncing 'nutrients.'

Diane and I love our Ruby Tuesday steaks.

And this simple phrase got me thinking. It really is overrated. People get so caught up on saying the right word, pronouncing it the right way, or with the right accent. We constantly correct people in situations where it is inappropriate or really unnecessary. I too am guilty of this. 

At my house when we're done we say "da" just like Amy. It's so much more fun and easy. 'Done' is just so boring. I like "Amy's language" so much better. I bring many clients quarks home with me. It makes life more fun, and different. And we like to make things fun in my house. 

We should all talk like her.

And does it really matter if you pronounce nutrients or metabolism right? Speech therapist, can now close this. ;) I have my moments were I get on people "it's birTHday, not birfday." But as long as we are able to communicate our thoughts, feelings, and needs does it really make a difference in our lives? Of course professionally someone might miss a job opportunity if they're really bad, but in our daily lives it really doesn't matter.

Julia is hard to say for many people I work with. Their tongue just can't make the "J" sound. To "my lil man" I'm simply "Yum Yum." To a little girl I was various names, most recently I was "Thing Mom," she likes to make nick names. Amy doesn't even have a sound for me, she just signs "J" and if I'm turned, I hear "aahhh" to get my attention. But for most I'm "Ulia." Yea I work with them on getting the "J," if they can do it I want them to do it. But I won't ignore them if they call me something else!

To my daughter I don't even have a name, she just screams. That is her way of talking right now. 

I have the hardest time understanding Diane's older brother. Luckily he has no problem repeating things a thousand times till I get it. And that's the key thing that people tend to skip. Is to make someone repeat, say it differently, or in another mode of communication, till it is understood. How would you feel if you had things to say but it wasn't being understood? Not to good I'm sure. We all want to be acknowledged at one point another. 

Everyone has those words that we just can't get out, or we take the extra 10 seconds to go through each sound. The actually verbal noise that comes out of our mouth isn't important. It's the ability to communicate. Being able to let another person know of our thoughts, feelings either through speech, writing, or sign is what is important.

Is it important to correct your child's word choice when they're screaming in pain. No, it's important to know what the problem is. Which can be communicated by pointing, behaviors, and answering simple yes/ no questions.

Diane had it right, talking right is overrated.