The Hanen Program

Tonight was the first night of my speech therapy class The Hanen Program. It's basically a series of classes that gives parents the tools to help our children that have or might have speech delays. There are 8 classes total and inbetween every two classes the speech therapist, Gretchen, comes out and video tapes our progress.
It's simple and complicated. There were 6 of us in the class tonight and we had line up in order of our birth month and day without talking. It sounded so simple until we had to do it. Some were communicating their gestures differently than others. It gave us a slight insight of what our kiddos may feel during those time when they know what they are saying but no one else understands.
Did you know the average 2 year-old has about 200 words? Squirt has about 20 and everything else is "dit". I can't imagine him saying 180 words more in 6 months time, but I guess that is why we are in the class.
So my homework for the week is to try to get Squirt to ask for more things. Like instead of asking for a drink (signs and says "dit") and giving him cup, straw and juice, making him ask for the cup, the straw and the juice. When we are playing, listening to what he saying instead of pointing everything out for him. The overall goal is to lessen the frustration and whining on both ends :)
Always an adventure around here.