C is for... forget it.

I think I have a might have a bit of a perfectionist on my hands.

Tucker is Anti C. He will not say a word that has the hard C sound in it. We have really focused on that sound and words that contain it recently, and I his language acquisition is at a standstill from the pressure of the sound he cannot make. If he wants to communicate something that requires that sound, he thinks of a synonym to send the same message.

He says Beep, instead of car.

He says Bob, but he won't say Mickey. (An equal favorite.)

He says Ty, but he won't say Tuck.

He will not say cookie or cracker. He signs them instead.

For any liquids, he says juice. He will not say milk, drink, or cup.

He says bus, but he won't say truck.

Truly, it is as if he hears that sound and thinks, No, I don't make that sound. A year ago, he wasn't talking at all, because he knew he couldn't do it; he wouldn't try unless he knew he could do it. And now here we are, many months later, seeing the same issue manifest itself in a different way. If it contains the k sound, he will not say it.

So, we decided to stop pushing him on that one.

I'll keep modeling, and eventually it will come. Nicole says the hard c sound is tricky for most kids, and many don't get it until they are over three years old. Since he has only recently started talking, it's no surprise that this sound may be a little slow in coming.

Instead, we'll focus on body parts this week. We'll work on adding words with the sounds he is good at: m, n, s, t, b, and p. He needs a confidence boost, so no more with the C.

I think it's interesting that he is so sure of what he can and cannot do. Perhaps we will look back on this in years to come and see it as an early indication of his preferences and learning style.

Interesting.