Whether or not to stop speaking a home language and focus on the academic language is never an easy decision and one that needs careful deliberation. We need to consider not only the linguistic effects dropping a language would have for a child but also the social, cultural and inter-relational aspects as well.

The first question to consider is if the inability to say the sound is bothersome for your child. If it doesn’t seem to be an issue for them and they are generally intelligible then it might cause more heartache trying to remedy something that the child doesn’t see as a problem. Additionally, if they don’t see the point of correcting the sound, they are unlikely to be motivated to make the necessary therapeutic investment in the practice and work it takes.

When the experts and research tell us screens are having a negative impact on our kids, it’s not surprising that we worry. I hear a lot of questions from concerned parents about how much is an appropriate amount of screen time for little ones, under 3 years?