Class II students were having free period, all the boys in class were happy and were enjoying their time. They all decided to tell joke one by one, as few boys successfully rolled laughter in the class, the class was suddenly silent when the turn came on Rajeev. After 2 minutes of silence all the boys in the class started laughing and then came a voice from one boy saying, “Guys, how will he crack a joke, he himself is one joke. Let’s pass the turn on to other boy.”
But why was Rajeev called a joke? Rajeev is teased and made fun because he suffers from stuttering. In school his friends trouble him and at home his siblings irritate him. At least when he is home, he expects that nobody should make him feel bad. At home too he is often mocked by his siblings and doesn't get enough support from his parents.
Parents should remember that taunting and nagging is not the solution to stop stuttering. Here are the ways to help your child cope with stuttering:
- Give Confidence: Stuttering lowers the confidence and self esteem of your child. As a parent always make him feel secure at home. Instill confidence in him and make him feel that the problem is going to fade away with time and he doesn’t have to worry about it all the time. Giving confidence can help your child to fight the critics hen he is not at home, when he himself have confidence that he is going to overcome the problem he will not get affected by others who tease and make fun of him.
- Positive Environment: Your child is greatly affected when people make his mockery when at school or when out for playing. But he feels more hurt when the same thing repeats when he is back home. Make sure that your child at home is not teased by his/ her siblings as this will not help him/ her to cope stuttering.
- Don’t Nag and Shout: Your child is bound to be slow and will make mistakes but that doesn’t mean that you should shout at him. Nagging and shouting will make the condition difficult for your child to overcome stuttering. Don’t put any restriction when he speaks this will help him to cope easily. Remember to encourage him and ask him to try and make less mistakes instead of shouting.
- Have Patience: Stuttering cannot be conquered in one day. Having patience is very important thing that parents should have. Showing patience will help overcome stuttering. Few children stop stuttering in less time while some takes long years to overcome the habit. Remember constantly to support him which will aid in his improvement.
- Show Interest: Stutterers only feel relaxed when they are at home where everyone knows them. They also get excited like other children and also like to convey what happened in school to their parents. At such times, it is for parents to show interest in how they narrate what happened in the school; how his day went etc. showing disinterest will bring down their confidence levels. So it is always better that you assign time to talk or listen to them whenever they come home from outside. This will not only make them feel relieved but also make them feel happy. Also when they talk, remember not to interrupt or find flaws at that time only. Whenever you want to correct them, explain them in a calm manner rather than shouting.
- Reward: Stutterers generally get scared to talk or convey their thoughts. But sometimes when your child comes forwards and tells you about something on his own; make sure you appreciate his efforts. Apart from the medical treatment, support from family is also important. When you gradually see improvement in your child, remember to reward them which will make them happy and boost their confidence!
Stuttering can be difficult for both child as well as his parents. Don’t ever make your child feel left out and insecure just because he is suffering from stuttering. Family time is the best time when a child can be free and make efforts to improve. So make sure all the family members encourage and support the young one dealing with stuttering. Making an effort to fight stutter is a key to stuttering.
The heart throb of all and the actor who is best known for his dialogue delivery, Hrithik Roshan was a bad stutterer once upon a time. He still practices his speech exercises, it is only because of his constant efforts to improve that he surfaced the problem and now you can see where he has reached. So next time if your child feels low about his problem, ask him to take inspiration from none another than Hrithik, the superstar!
