How old was your child when they started to say thank you?

[UniqueAndAmazing]

or ta?

DD is 15 mo and she's been saying Ta since she was about 11mo.
she says it more reliably than any other word she has.
(she also has hello, dada, mama (ish), bye, and something that sounds like "oh dear")

[abbyfromoz]

DD is 23 months and FINALLY saying 'yes peese' and 'no dan du'... I thought she was just being stubborn but turns out she's quite a polite little girl!

[AnyaKnowIt]

I think dd was about 18months, but that was the only thing she could say!

[AnisotropicWeetabixFTW]

DS is 18mo and said ta for a long time (I never say ta, he was trying for thank you) but about 16 months it evolved to 'tank ooo' and now he is pretty clear and completely consistent.

[polarbear78]

15 mths, never use ta

[Pozzled]

Not sure, but I'd guess around 18 months. DD2 is 21 months and she's been saying it for some time. She's been saying 'yes pees' almost as long as she's been saying 'yes'.

[easterchicka]

11.5 months and said 'ta' several times today, for the first time! I'm not a ta person so I'm looking forward to this evolving into 'thank you'

[golemmings]

15 months - it was his 4th word!

[elQuintoConyo]

15mo here, DS has 4 words, none of which is 'thanks' but he does say 'tea'

[ZuleikaD]

About 14m both times. We don't use 'ta' either, so both started on 'tanku' or similar.

[sjupes]

10 months ish we got 'ta' now 16 months we get 'ta you' so we're evolving

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

2.5 ish before it was consistant and appropriate! But obviously said before then, probably about 12mo. We never used ta.

[Bearandcub]

Dank u at 11 months for DS2
DS1 at 14 months

[Yama]

Can't remember but our youngest is 2.7 and has been saying thank you for a while.

[AnisotropicWeetabixFTW]

Zuleika, I don't think children just say 'ta' because you do. We never say it, I really dislike it actually. DD went straight to talking in full sentences by 18 months, no half words, no attempts. We always say thank you. DS said ta from about 12 months but was trying to say thank you clearly. It evolved from ta to taaaa to taaaaaakoooooo to thank you.

I don't know why I'm so sensitive about it but when ds started saying it I took great pains to repeat 'yes thank you, that's right' back to him. I wonder why it bothers me so much? I know I'm not the only one though. I remember an ancient MN thread where people flounced and shrieked over children saying ta.

[UniqueAndAmazing]

oh, i'm sure it'll evolve into thank you - she's never heard ta (except with one very weird instance with a customer who kept holding is hand out to steal something off her and going "ta" really loudly and for ages )

i think she's picked it up from watching me in the shop - lots of people passing things to each other and saying thank you.

[Bibs123]

oh for goodness sake get a grip! I cannot believe anyone would get the hump about the word ta! Flame me for ENCOURAGING my DD to say ta... oooo dear. She is 18 months by the way and has been saying it for ages. Thinking about it I say it from time to time as a more informal way of saying thanks or thank u. LIke when someone passes u something. Honestly think people should find other things to worry about.

[MoelFammau]

My DM likes to snarl 'TAAAA!' at small children to encourage them to say it back. I cringe, I really do. It sounds so aggressive.

DD has speech delay due to hearing loss but says 'Dankoo' and 'Pees', also 'Sowwy'. She's 23mo and has been doing it for maybe 2 months. She's also bilingual so sometimes offers 'BittAH' and 'Dankaaaa' instead.

I love little ones being polite. I don't really understand people who say they'd never teach their kids to say 'thank you' because it was drummed into them as children (BIL being one). But manners are so important and such a life skill really - I find it hard to do things with BIL's 5yo son because he comes across as so bloody ungrateful!

[abbyfromoz]

Moel how dis you discover your DD has hearing loss? Mine is 23 months also and sounds at about the same level with speech as what you are describing. Makes me a little concerned. I haven't noticed if she is substantially delayed- some kids are just incredibly fast to talk but i put it down to shyness at times... Unless she is not hearing me??

[MoelFammau]

Hi Abby. To be honest, I had niggling doubts about her hearing from birth. She never startled at the sound of a door slamming, or something being dropped. Later on it was impossible to attract her attention if she was facing away, she didn't know her name until she was 18mo.... just lots of little things really.

HV and doctor just brushed off my concerns as 'first time mother' syndrome but eventually I got referred to a specialist who confirmed DD had glue-ear in both ears but also hearing loss underneath this. It took 22mo to get the info!

DD hides it so well - the specialist told me a child can learn to lip-read in 3 months and DD certainly can do this. Try saying something to your daughter but without sound, ie mouthing 'Where is the dog?' or something that will get a response. If she points, she can lip-read, which means she could have hearing loss.

Hope this helps!