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Now, there is nothing as irritating for a parent as having a son or daughter who never stops talking.
Fine, nobody wants to have a kid who is ever so quiet –it’s never a good thing especially when it comes to socializing with others- but again there is no one who would enjoy having a chatterbox in the house.
Fortunately, there are tricks and techniques you can use to make him/her limit the talk and learn to speak only at the right time.
So below is how to rein in excessive talking in a child (practical tips and ideas)..
Excessive talking in child: What to do if your gifted child talks too much
Of course, dealing with an excessively talkative child can be hectic, and therefore, it is always good to find ways of controlling the talkativeness.
Try the following if your kid constantly talks – and they’re expecting a response each time:
What to do when your child talks too much
Teach them some talk manners!
Give your kiddo more time to talk and while doing so, create eye contact and have a direct convo with your child.
Now, as your child talks, let him/her know when they need to talk and when you want them to remain silent and listen(you could, for example, tell them you want to focus for a minute).
More importantly, practice turn-taking and back-and-forth conversations when you’re ready to listen as it’s wise to encourage a fair exchange of dialogue.
Don’t forget it is important to let him/her know if they’re dominating a conversation / interrupting.
Just to be clear, this teaches your dear one how to wait and listen, which can, in turn, allow your little one to learn how to control his or her impulses.
You can even go for long walks or bike rides sometimes with him/her (if he/she is old enough)–and practice the above while at it.
I will now share with you some steps/measures you can take when you want him/her to shut up…
Get them to draw/write down their thoughts
Instead of blabbering on and on, urge him/her to sketch (and color) and write down exactly what they’re feeling.
This typically helps talkative kids transition from mindless talk to expressing their thoughts in writing/drawing.
Also, personally expressing their feelings by writing/drawing helps release stress.
Distract his/her thoughts by having them participate in an interesting activity that needs their full attention
Try to find him/her a cool activity they can do that requires his/her full attention.
The idea is to have him/her spend a bit more of his/her day focused and listening instead of talking and expressing.
A good example is capoeira, a popular Brazilian musical genre that kids find so thrilling.
Here is another thing you can try:
Find something he’s /she’s enthusiastic about but they don’t know much about say a cool bug/a plant you find outside and look it up on the internet together.
You want to Look at the pictures of it then come up with questions (together) and finally find the answers.
This process of coming up with questions and then looking for answers can be a fantastic incentive to listen as well.
Have them learn sign language
It may sound weird but sign language can also help your son/daughter feel much more comfortable when they’re not constantly talking.
The idea is to have them get used to signing to themselves stuff that’s going on in their heads in the hope that it will replace their incessant talk.
Teach them inner dialogue
Another interesting strategy that can work especially for teens is teaching them how to talk inside of their heads rather than talking out loud.
Having an inner monologue or ‘thinking out loud’ can, with proper guidance, help your child find peace which in turn means you have reduced fights with him/her.
The hard part is obviously teaching them to say things in their heads if it is not something they’re used to!
Play a quiet game
There are those quiet games in which the person who breaks the silence first loses.
Such games can be helpful for your child especially in inculcating the habit of listening in your son/daughter.
I urge you to try some of these games– it will give your child enough time to get used to when to be quiet, when to talk, and when to listen.
In short, games that require listening can be great.
Sometimes you have to tell them “Shut-it-Up!”
Tell your boy or girl ‘Wow, you have done a lot of talking today and it is time to give your mouth minutes to rest!’
Just be careful not to sound as if they’re uncared for.
To be honest, there is nothing wrong (none, absolutely)with telling a kid that is big enough to understand that Mommy needs a little quiet time now.
Reward good behavior
Kids love rewards so you can try to set up a reward system to help motivate behavior change in your kid.
Once you realize that the child is able to wait until it is his/her turn to talk, reward the boy or girl with something that they like so much, for example, a toy they have been asking for.
Of course, you won’t forget to praise your child when he or she is behaving well.
Work on their social skills
Excessive talking in a child is one of the problems known to affect kids with ADHD.
In most cases, these kids have difficulties making and keeping friends and also being accepted by age mates.
That being so, you can act as their” friendship coach” – you can, for instance, plan play dates that will create opportunities for your child to socialize more and develop new friendships.
To emphasize, you want to work on the things that will shape good social skills like taking turns in conversations, listening, showing interest in the other child, and speaking in a normal tone of voice.
Excessive talking in child – more tips
Set boundaries
It’s your duty to teach your child to be responsible in their use of their tongue- you particularly want to teach your child what to talk in public and what not to.
Setting boundaries should help your child pick up some social cues, expressions, and body language that say “Talk” or “Shut-up”.
Also, let your child know that some places need silence (not talking at all) like the school library.
Find the deeper reason
Excessive talking in a child sometimes happens for a reason.
Now, don’t beat around the bush but go direct to the point and discuss the issue of excessive talking with your child.
Be sure to dig deep and address the issue directly instead of just focusing on their non-stop talking.
What you want is to come up with a plan to reduce the too-much talk.
Be patient and positive
A talkative child can certainly be frustrating and annoying.
And we all know that dealing with such kind of a child can be stressful and exhausting so I would advise you to be patient and positive when managing him/her.
Above all, give your kiddo time to develop effective communication skills.
Have you heard about Noise reduction headphones?
Yeah, the kind folks wear at concerts?
They can help make the noise waaaaay more bearable when you’re desperate – and some parents with chatty kids actually use them on occasions.
Some reasons that cause excessive talking in children
- A child having ADHD(attention deficit hyperactivity)
- Kids getting extremely excited about something
- Stress
- Shyness
- Trouble with exercising self-control
- Poor social skills
Excessive talking in child – Final words
It can be stressful and exhausting dealing with an excessive talking child but what you need to know is that being talkative isn’t always a bad thing.
Excessive talkative kids can be charming, funny, and interesting as well.
The problem is when their conversation is endless or happens at the wrong time or place.
Luckily, with the above ideas, you might be able to manage excessive talking in children when it goes overboard.
Good luck.
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