To think a 13 month old cannot say 106 words?

[TinyChatterbox]

Just over a year ago I had my first child and like many did an antenatal group. As lockdown commenced several of us managed to track each other down on Facebook and we started a group chat. There are now 5 of us who were in the original antenatal group in this chat and its been lovely to catch up albeit virtually every now and again.

All 5 of us are first time parents and one of the group boastfully posted yesterday evening that her daughter (who is 13 and 1/2 months) can now say 106 words. Now I'm not disputing she may think her child says that many words but she's talking utter bullshit isn't she. There is absolutely no way her 14 month old actually says 106 words which could be understood by anyone.

It's really pissed me off and I'd love some clarification because one of the mums in the group, who is quite a young mother, has responded in a blind panic that her child who is also 13 months only says 8 words. She's understandably completely freaking out and has messaged the health visitor as there is clearly something wrong with her daughter.

YANBU - The mum is deluded to think her child says 106 words.

YABu - It's perfectly possible a 13 month old can say 106 words.

Mine smashed the milestones for walking and talking. I didn't count words though, nor bring it up when they mentioned theirs wasn't talking yet and mine was talking in fully comprehensible complete sentences. Lagged behind in other areas though. What the issue here is really braggy friend. Mine has plenty of other issues and so do other kids.

I think the use of the exact figure is odd - and clearly not accurate, you couldn’t count every word they know ...

You really could; it’s not difficult. It would be hard to keep a running total in your head but easy enough to jot down and count at the end. Before they start speaking in sentences, it will be mostly common nouns and everyday objects.

Is she perhaps thick enough to count each babble as a word, just kidding 👀

For goodness sake! Children develop at different rates! It's perfectly possible but just because others aren't doing the same doesn't mean a thing. My son probably did, he was talking in full sentences by 18 months at any rate.
My older DD, on the other hand, hardly said an intelligible word at all until she was about 18 months and what she did say were quotes from nursery rhymes or parroting what was said to her, i.e. "come on then! " or, "let's go!". However she astonished a friend who was a primary teacher when I gave her three consecutive instructions at age 18 months which she followed to the letter; "please go to the telephone table in the hallway, find the pen and bring it here and give it to Auntie Claire". Auntie Claire declared half her reception class wouldn't have been able to retain all those instructions long enough to act them out. I have my doubts about 4 year olds but do know that neither of my subsequent DC would have been able to do that at 18 months. It just goes to show how different children are. I know it's practically useless to say it to first time parents but please stop comparing. A child's prowess at certain tasks at such a young age very rarely has any bearing on future adult skills or abilities. Just enjoy your babies!

It's unusual but also possible.
My son had over 125 signs of British sign language at 14 months (we had done it since he was 10 weeks old) so feasible if they are chatty. He had around 50 words by 13 months but was a early talker over 20 words by he was 1.

Every child is different though and develop in their own time, my DS loves to communicate but he cannot for the life of him do any independent play he wants whoever is about to be involved. Whereas some friends dc aren't as chatty but have far better focus and attention spans.

Swings and round abouts. Would also say with covid they probably don't realise they have a very chatty toddler compared to peers!

Agreed. My DC spoke a lot by 13mths but nowhere near 106 words! 90% of parents think their DC is more advanced than they actually are. Some parents think their child can read before school. No they can't. Reading is not just recognising a few words and sounds. Learning to read properly takes a few years.

My daughter had an extensive vocab at this age, couldn't tell you how many words exactly but people did comment on it. I didn't think much of it tbh. She was super slow to walk and crawl so swings and roundabouts if you ask me. My nephew didn't utter a word until he was three and now we can't shut him up now

I’m amazed at the number of people on this thread who don’t believe a 13 month old could say so many words!!

I’m also amazed that the amount of people that are so bothered by a mother being proud of her PFB. As your kids grow you’ll meet many many people who will want to shout their DCs achievements from the roof tops. That is fine and quite acceptable if their DC is average or below, but if their kid is advanced for their age, suddenly they are boastful and how dare they make other parents feel bad! People need to be aware of what normal, what’s not and when to worry. Just because your friends DC walks, talks, reads, rides a bike etc etc before yours doesn’t mean it’s something you should worry or feel bad about.

Shes full of s*...i dont know why moms always try and compete and want their babys to grow up quicker than necessary shes a billy bullshittrr....and sounds like a nob...has she written all 106 words down..i mean WTAF

When my eldest (soon to be 9) was born I had an extremely competitive 'friend'. My ds didn't sleep, I was exhausted- as many here will have experienced! This friend then spent all her time outlining her ds's perfect eating and sleeping patterns. Apparently at 10mos the child was sleeping for 22.5 hours every day, and eating perfectly balanced meals the rest of the time.
Basically, people like to brag and talk cr*p

Every mums group has the competitive bullsh*tter mum though doesn't it.

We had the mum who claimed her kid was potty trained when he was only a few months old. Which was funny because once he was walking (again apparently only days after he was conceived... he might have first walked while still in the womb actually) he just used to piss up the curtains....

Mine just ate, slept and farted. Both were late developer's in numerous ways but both are now at uni... and are able to toilet, feed and speak fairly eloquently....

I took it as an amusing entertainment each week.... would her kid have worked out complex algebra, learned Latin.... done a triple pike off a bouncy castle? Who knew???..

We lost touch but i often wonder if 20 years later he still pisses up the curtains....

Don't sweat the small stuff, they all bring something different to the party and they all arrive at different times. Xx

When I applied to university I was unfortunately turned down because according to my records I was a late speaker and still wore nappies at age 3.

If anyone wanted to give her a chance to realise that no one is interested in competition, I'd be tempted to message the group in a week or so and grumble about a relative/friend/whatever who is being unnecessarily competitive about something. A comment from you ending with the phrase 'Argh, it's not a bloody competition, is it?!' might get the message across, and the others will surely chime in to agree that it certainly isn't. That might give her a good steer for future behaviour, which would be kind really.

One of mine had that many words at 1, walked at 9 months, could hold a fairly complex conversation and read at 2. Diagnosed with Aspergers at 6. Had a fucking rough ride through school and has struggled with his mental health and self-image all his life. He's just evening out and growing into himself now at 18.

It's not impossible and she isn't necessarily lying or boasting, but it doesn't mean the sun shines out of the kid's arse either. We all have our challenges.

Feel sorry for the braggy Mum. There are mothers like her everywhere.
Years ago, at a local playgroup, I'd sit in a corner, snorting at the ridiculous one-upmanship of some of the other Mums.
My younger son said nothing, apart from Mum and Dad, for years. We nicknamed him 'Silent Bob' (not to his face). They were concerned at nursery and had a hearing specialist come in to check him for deafness (he was fine)

I really don’t think any of my children were saying audible words at 13 months and if they did I cannot remember. Who cares ...all three at decent universities.
Just stop the dinner party competitiveness..it’s too stressful!

My son spoke in excess of 100 words at 13 months (he could list all the animals at the local zoo too). I know he could because I kept a scrapbook of his early life (he was my first born and I was SAHM 😂). He’s hyperlexic and testing indicated he had the reading age of a 16 year old when he was 7. On the flip side he didn’t walk until he was 2 years old (too busy learning all the animals) and he is severely autistic currently attending a special school.

One of mine just used the word teddy for everything at that age! He speaks with great clarity now as an adult.

Yes possible with some children but I would not have thought of counting them!! Some children speak then walk but it doesn’t matter which they do first.

My eldest DD said ‘yes’ at 8 months and a few other words but I didn’t count, middle one said ‘Hiya’ at 13 months but that was about it and the last one I don’t remember when but he can certainly speak now 😂

Ugh, I think every antenatal group has an annoying boastful parent who's child is a 'genius'

There's a particularly irritating and patronising one in mine. We're always hearing about DC's amazing achievements, I have witnessed her talking but (at the risk of sounding bitter 🤣) DC is just parroting back rather than understanding any of the words she's saying.

I think like your acquaintance, it's just annoying as like you, it should be a support network, not a competition. All children are different and amazing in their own way.

What sort of twat:
A/ counts their child’s 106 words
B/ tells other people?!?!?!

I didn't count but my youngest probably could, she was fully conversational by 18 months and people would assume she was at least a year older. It was mainly because her elder sister talked to her constantly, like without stopping for breath, all day every day. She was a slow walker and weaner though, all her energy went into talking. I am the world's least competitive person though, I wouldn't consider it anything to brag about and she's academically average now. They all tend to focus on something, early walkers may be later at talking etc

@CeeceeBloomingdale

I didn't count but my youngest probably could, she was fully conversational by 18 months and people would assume she was at least a year older. It was mainly because her elder sister talked to her constantly, like without stopping for breath, all day every day. She was a slow walker and weaner though, all her energy went into talking. I am the world's least competitive person though, I wouldn't consider it anything to brag about and she's academically average now. They all tend to focus on something, early walkers may be later at talking etc

My eldest DD spoke early but didn’t walk until very late.

DS1 had 100 words by 12 months - I wrote them all down each time he said something new. He uttered his first word in front of a room full of shocked people at 5.5 months. He’s always been a chatter box with an extensive vocabulary, but is dysgraphic (so struggles to get any of it on paper), and just fell short of a dx of HFA.