At what age did you say "shhhh mummy's talking"

[mammanl]

Hi

We recently went on a family visit. I was talking to a family friend when one of our twins started to talk to me. I diverted my attention to talk to her briefly (she's 2 yrs 7 mths) when my aunt came in with a "shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". Just wondered at what age other parents started expecting or teaching their child to be quiet whilst mummy is talking....]

My DD is 2.5 and we encourage her not to interrupt adult conversation.

Birth.

Don't you think that they need to be encouraged to talk before they are told to be quiet?!

It's a difficult and fine line. But you are trying to teach them to wait their turn rather than squash them and make them shut up. I think a "hey baby I'm talking, it will be your turn in a second" from about 2 ish is fine.

lol at birth

my ds is 4 next week. We have taught him to say excuse me if he has something to say while adults are talking. The only trouble with this is that he stands there and continues to say excuse me louder and louder until we respond to him

I do encourage her to talk but there are times when it's inappropriate, I would be pretty relaxed around friends and never say anything at home when chatting to DP. However, last week I needed to speak to her consultant and I needed her not to interrupt!

She is a very good talker so I am not worried, it's not encouraging her not to talk, she only has to wait until a sentence is finished then she can ask her question/tell me whatever she wants and then she will inevitably resume playing and I can continue my conversation.

There seem to be 2 threads on this. Is that deliberate? If so, I find it annoying! It's an interesting subject and I want to follow it in one place.

I would say 2 and a bit ish

maybe I would think differently if my kids had started talking later but by two they were rabbting away like anything

Sorry I wasn't sure where to post.

I think from about 2ish. My DD is 4 and I REALLY need to work on the 'excuse me' (very moonminmama!).

I do however now very regularly say:
'Sssshhhh mummy is talking.'
'Ssssshhhh, you don't need to shout'
'Ssssshhhhhh, can we have a bit of peace and quiet please!'
'Can you pleeeeease stop talking for ONE minute!'

DD talks incessantly, and if I never said any of these things, I'd never get a word in and neither would anyone else! DS is nearly mute as a result!!!!

I forgive you, mammanl.:) [pompous magnanimity]

Around 2ish, maybe 2 1/2 I suppose.

It's a really important social skill for them to learn IMO, along with saying please, thank you, sorry, and sharing, waiting your turn, etc.

Re your qu about whether they should be encouraged to talk first, do you mean that you think it will impede their speech development? I really don't think so!

Nor will it (IMO) shatter their self-confidence, assuming we are not talking about a "children should be seen and not heard" approach but rather the occasional "Just wait a minute, I'm talking".

moonmim my DS (3.7) has learnt to repeat "excuse me mummy" louder and louder until responded to, too!

Really early - I taught both of mine to say "Excuse me" when they were interrupting, as well

Thanks all very helpful. It feels a bit like no sooner are they able to talk than I'm telling them to be quiet but agree it's important they start to learn.