More speech problems

Ever get the feeling that no matter how hard you try to do everything you can for your kids, there are some things that you just need help with? I feel like that a lot lately. Most of it is J-related at the moment, but today I saw a speech therapist for E, who confirmed that he's way behind in his talking and vocabulary.

Here's the verdict. By eighteen months, kids should be able to say at least fifty words. That leaves him about two and a half weeks to master 44 more. I don't think it's going to happen. He is now on the ten-month long waiting list to see a speech therapist (J's on a different waiting list for the same thing), and I have been told to practice vowel sounds with him, as well as focus on the start of words, rather than the whole thing.

I don't think it's going to be easy to work on things. Kids seem to listen to everyone but their parents, especially when it comes to building skills. E will say what he wants, when he wants. If I encourage him to say "more," for example, he will clamp his mouth shut or whine until I either give him what he wants or distract him. Then two days later, the only word he will say is "more," until I praise him and he stops. Maybe it's a game, but I don't feel like playing it.

So now both of my children are on waiting lists for speech therapy, and one of them is on a list for anxiety and emotional support. I don't want either one of them to be on a list. I feel like Mommy should be the one who makes everything better. I hate the fact that some people are more qualified to help them than I am, but it's for their sake so I can accept it (barely).