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From: Sandra Gil
Date: 10/16/03
Time: 7:26:10 AM
Remote Name: 166.114.182.14
Dear Megan
Thanks for your nice and encouraging comments and for your interest in learnig something from us. I think you are aboslutely right when you say that other children's experiences can help others. Yes, I talk openly about stuttering with my son and I am sure this has been the key to keeping his great attitude towards talking unharmed, because it has not only helped him understand that talking well is not being fluent, but has also allowed us to problem solve when teasing started at preschool. He asked me to help him to do a "show and tell" on bumpy speech for his class and he is only 5! That stopped the teasing. The things I have been telling him and doing to help him cope with his stuttering are: Always pointing out how interesting, smart, kind or funny are the things he says and how they make me feel. I also tell him that it takes longer to some people to learn to speak smoothly and that bumpy speech is ok , that it's just a different way of talking. Something that really made a difference was telling him that even though bumpy speech might be ok for me , I realize how frustrating it must be sometimes for him to have so many things to say and having words stuck in his mouth, and that I admire so much the way he says what he has to say inspite of this. The first time I told him this,he said wiht a grin of pride that he never gives up! My best wishes for you in your career as an SLP, you are going to make a big difference in many children's lives
Sandra