What Whitney Houston and Justin Bieber Can Teach Parents About Communication

Hey everyone,This week’s episode is a solo episode, and it is all about two songs I cannot hear without thinking about communication.Whitney Houston’s How Will I Know and Justin Bieber’s What Do You Mean​Now, yes, they were written about relationships, but every time I hear them, I think about the children and families I work with because in therapy and at home, these two questions can be so powerful.How will I know what your child wants if they do not show me or tell me?How will your child know what to say if we do not model it for them?What do they mean when they say “that thing” or point across the room?And how can we help them find the words without nagging, testing or making communication feel stressful?In this episode, I share how parents can use simple phrases like “How will I know?” and “What do you mean?” to support their child’s communication in everyday moments.​We talk about:💫 Helping children use more specific words💫 Modelling language instead of guessing💫 Supporting longer sentences naturally💫 Encouraging children to repair communication breakdowns💫 Why gestures, tone and showing matter💫 Helping children move beyond “that thing over there”💫 Using everyday moments to build communication​This episode is a reminder that communication does not have to be complicated.Sometimes the simplest phrase can help a child pause, think, try again and use the words they already have.And sometimes, as adults, we need that reminder too.​We do not need perfect words.​We just need to keep showing up, keep trying and keep creating opportunities for communication to grow.Grab a glass of wine and listen to the latest episode of Wine with Wita.Lots of love,Rita x🌿 Connection Creates CommunicationWondering what to do while you wait for speech therapy?Connection Creates Communication is my new 6-week program for parents of children aged 0–5, designed to give you practical, everyday strategies to support your child's communication at home. 👉 Learn more & Join: Connection Creates Communication  Questions? Email [email protected] or send me a DM on Instagram. P.S.: follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠ for more tips, insights and updatesDisclaimer: the purpose of this podcast is to provide information. You must not rely on the information on this podcast as an alternative to speech and language therapy. You must always consult with a Speech Pathologist, GP and/or paediatrician if you have any concerns about your child's communication and/development.