Talking Toddlers

In this episode I share the truth about Fruit & Vegetable Pouches. I cannot speak how eating/chewing and speech development are connected without sharing the truth on pouches…  we’ve been duped! Babies and toddlers MUST experience a variety of food tastes, textures and consistencies in order to build a healthy relationship with real food - as well as exercise their oral-motor skills, LITERALLY...

The human being is an intricate system of systems - and navigating this modern world keeps parents on their toes - or at least it should. Whether you're thinking about having a baby, just became a new parent , or a parent of a first grader - this episode will help shed light on how the developmental parts fit together.   We often need to step back and get different perspectives to see the who...

This episode topic is SO CRITICAL that I ended up creating a series which will be covered over the next several weeks. You won't want to miss any of them! This episode is Part 1, and we dive deep into your baby's or toddler's relationship between early eating (sucking and chewing) and speech development. Why? Because we are "hard-wired" to do both AND one feeds the other (...

In this episode I share the importance of understanding how speech skills and language development differ. Parents are pivotal in laying this foundation, especially in the first few years, so you don't ever want to leave it to chance. When you  know why babbling is an important precursor to his first words - you'll want to sing, read, and giggle all day long with your little one. When yo...

Reading To Babies And Beyond - The Top 4 Purposes In this episode, I share specific purposes behind reading to your baby and beyond. No matter what age you start, reading aloud gives you the best bang for the buck - regarding time, money and effort. It cannot be understated. Remember what your END GOAL is … build a love for literacy, rich vocabulary, positive attention, imagination and healthy con...

In this episode, I share that although newborns / babies are designed to acquire speech and language naturally, it takes effort ... by all parties - the caretakers and the baby / toddler. Human babies are born highly unfinished ... they are still under construction. We understand better how everyday experiences wire our brains (neuroplasticity) and create neuro-connections and networks (learning),...

This episode continues from last week, discussing the 10 Must-Haves to Get to First Words . Children don't just wake up on their first birthday and start talking ... there is A LOT of serious work, growth, and development that can sometimes get lost in the shuffle between feedings, diapers, sleeping and just keeping your little one safe! Last episode we covered the first 5, so if you haven&ap...

In this episode, I introduce the first 5 precursors a baby must have to be Developmentally Ready to Talk  for you to consider. This modern world can be confusing, and I don't want you to leave it to chance or to feel uncertain. Some parents may not be aware how much they can do with their babies to build a strong language foundation and help establish a true connection.  Growth and developmen...

Talking Toddler’s host, Erin Hyer, shares why she is starting her podcast now… April 2022. If you're a new mom of a young toddler or preschooler and feeling a bit overwhelmed, uncertain, or perhaps looking for confirmation on how well your beautiful toddler is really doing - maybe questioning the “wait and see” recommendation by your pediatrician, or feeling a bit guilty for sheltering him du...