Nine Year Old Is Baby Talking

Be glad...I know someone who daughter acted like a cat at this age...drove this woman nuts...her daughter would respond to a stranger's hello with a "meow". BTW...she eventually out grew the behavior.

Ignore it. It might still take time for the behavior to stop. It could take a week or more. But if every time he uses baby talk, you simply pretend you don't hear anything, he'll get the message and stop.

I tell my daughter 8 that I can't hear her when she starts doing it and it has almost stopped. When she starts at a relatives house or out visiting. I pause her and tell her, "Please use your grown up voice we can't understand you." She will pause and then start speaking in her regular voice. It takes doing it every single time for a while and then they get the message.

I understand that older kids talking baby talk is really, really, really annoying. I recall my daughter doing it on occasion.

However, don't make a big deal about it. Ignore it, or say, "I don't hear baby talk, I will respond when you ask me in a normal voice," or simply indulge it. Baby talk usually means they want to be treated like a baby for a few minutes, which isn't the worst thing in the world. Give her a big old cuddle when she needs it.

When she's 13 or 14, she will no longer be baby talking or wanting to be treated like a baby, I promise you. Enjoy your baby while you can.

There's so little info here, it's hard to know what to say. What have you done already, and why do you think that particular technique failed? Because the behavior continued that day or the next? I agree with B that it's to get attention, and apparently it's working to some degree because the child is still doing it. Ignoring it helps, and if necessary, just make a very brief comment that he/she can't do X or Y because those are "big kid" privileges and not for babies. He/she can do those when older and more mature. That can be a specific TV show for older kids, a toy or dance lessons that are for 9 year olds, or the privilege of riding a bike down the street alone. ("Can't let you head away from home if others aren't going to understand you, dear.")

You have to be consistent and do the same thing over and over until the child sees that baby talk isn't working. If you change it up too often, or give up too soon, or discuss it too much, the child gets a payoff for it.

Is there a new baby in the house or any other reason why being little appeals to your child? Is there pressure to be a "big kid" because there are new responsibilities (cleaning the room, having homework) or higher expectations? Does the behavior happen only at home, or does it happen at school or with other people? Those would be helpful details, and it would help to know what others already do (such as the teacher).

Simply ignore the 9 year old if he/she says anything in a silly baby talk. No eye contact, no response, no sighs, no lectures, no helpful advice. If your child says "ma-ma, me have cookie?" in that little baby voice, just pretend like there's literally no one there. Let her repeat it a zillion times. Go on about your business, cook dinner, set the table, play a game on your iPad, vacuum, pay bills, whatever you were doing. Then, the SECOND that your child gets frustrated and says, in his or her normal voice "MOM! I said, I want a cookie!" then immediately make eye contact, respond politely and appropriately ("you can have one after supper" or "sure, they're your favorites. You can have two"). Act as though that's the first time your child has asked that question.

It's imperative that you do not react or respond to the baby talk. Every time you roll your eyes, appear frustrated, have a talk about speaking in an age-appropriate voice, or make any attempt to stop the behavior, you're rewarding it. No, it's not a reward like a toy or a prize, it's a reward with your attention. It's a reward in that's it's drama.

Ignored behavior will decrease, rewarded behavior will increase. And never forget that rewards are much more than prizes or money. Every sigh, every moment of eye contact, every minute of drama and correction - whether the correction is kind and loving, or tumultuous and delivered in a frustrated yell or scream - are also rewards.

IGNORE IT. This really isn't as big a deal as you may think. Let it go, don't let it bother you. Don't know what your "attempts" have been but just drop it. Nine year olds are at an age where they're kind of in between worlds so to speak. They're aware of losing childhood and don't always feel comfortable about it, there is even a kind of grieving that goes with this. They need a feeling of home, a knowing of where they belong. Sometimes they show signs of going "backward" but really they're not. Just keep giving lots of warmth and love and joy.

When I say to ignore it, I'm not saying it in a way that you won't respond necessarily. But that you don't let it bother you, or bug you. More than likely you can turn this around by having fun with it and see it from the flip side. You could tell her that you've decided to speak baby talk too and do so or that everybody will talk like that too. Or better yet just talk it with no explanation. This changes the energy of it all. Don't take it seriously. It's not like this will last for long (although may seem so now). This too will pass. It's no big deal.

"You'll have to tell me/ask me in your big girl voice."

Just ignore. He/she thinks it's funny/cute.

what's the question?
without context, or any information whatsoever about the failed attempts, there's really very little help to be offered.
khairete
S.

What is your question?

He/she must be getting attention for it.
Try ignoring it.
"I can't understand you when you talk that way. Ask again in your real voice and maybe we can talk about it. Until you can do that, you need to think about this in your room.".
Repeat as often as you have to until he/she stops doing it.
If this doesn't make any progress, find a therapist and start regular sessions until this is resolved.

What have you attempted? Really hard to suggest things not knowing what you have tried and didn't work.
When mine do this i I tell them to snap out of it if they want me to listen. I don't respond if they do it. Even my teens sometimes fall back into it to be funny at times but it's still annoying. If your daughter has a chronic problem ask her WHY she is talking like a baby. You have to understand why a kid is doing a behavior in order to change it. Is she trying to act like a baby for some reason? Attention? Insecure? Ask her why and listen don't talk hear what she has to say. Sometimes we forget that step and just tell kids to stop what they are doing, even though there is a bigger reason behind it. I know I often forget. Mine usually act up if something isn't going quite right with their world.

if they act like a baby then logically you need to treat them that way - take away things that big kids get - naps would be appropriate for instance