Language development in 'childcare' vs 'stay-at-home children'

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Hello, I am wondering what the wise women of Mumsnet think on this topic. I had dinner with a few friends who all have children around the same age, 18 months. Some of our children are in nursery while others are at home with their mothers. The mothers who stayed at home claimed that their one-to-one attention at home gave their children a language developmental advantage in that they would pick up words quicker. Do you agree? And what should parents do, besides the regular 'reading to your child' trick to get their child talking more? Is there a difference between the children who attend nursery and those who stay at home in other areas too (positive or negative)?

Ha, that's funny, I'm always hearing parents saying that little Johnny's language has really come on at nursery!

I don't know what the evidence is, but providing someone is talking to them somewhere I doubt it makes much difference.

I always talk to DS at home, nursery always talk to him when he's there.

Can't see what difference it makes!

I agree with the above - I talk to him at nome; other kids and carers talk to him atnursery, CBeebies fills in the gaps and when he's on his own he talks incessantly to himself.

Don't think it makes a jot of differnce as long as someone is talking!

Depends on the nursery and the parents and the children themselves
Emotional attachment is a different story, but lets not start on that

My ds1's language leapt ahead once he started playgroup. In some ways I wonder if when they're at home, toddlers don't have to work as hard to make themselves understood as their mums predict their needs a bit more/interpret half-words?

I'm a SAHM mum and I invest a lot of time talking to and reading to my 19mth DS and he is only just starting to talk.

I wonder if he had gone to nursery he might have more developed speech by now as he would have to compete rather than having his needs met quickly by me.

To be honest, unless there's an underlying issue, children talk at about the same level by the time they start school so I don't think it's that important at this age.

Sounds like a good newspaper article to me

FWIW, DS has been at nursery ft since he was tiny (and is very emotionally attached to us), and is a non stop chatterbox with a great vocab. I talk to him lots, the nursery staff talk to him, and the other children talk too.

It does sound like a good newspaper article.

I would be interested to read it so long as it is about speech development and not a nursery vs SAHM argument.

DS is a bit of a super-talker, has been ever since he was about 15 months or thereabouts. He has been at nursery three days a week since 11 months old, home with me or DP on other days.

No idea why he is particularly good with speech, but I think it may be because DP and I have always spoken directly to him a lot when we are at home, and we both tend to talk at ridiculous rambling length and with lots of repetition, and he has had the exposure at nursery to other people talking as well; so, bit of everything I guess.

Also, he watches a fair bit of telly (CBeebies only, natch ... but almost certainly "too much" if I'm honest), which I think actually has taught him loads of words. He's been shit-hot on obscure animal names ever since developing a 64 Zoo Lane obsession at around 18 months. Crocodiles, warthogs, porcupines, you name it, he talks about it. People are always dead impressed until I explain why

oh and he is 2.5. And we do also read lots, not just plonk him in front of the TV

Hey StewieGriffinsMon - I think my DS speech seems to be behind his peers but I am not a crap parent.

It upsets me when I read/hear comments like that as I have encouraged DS from the moment he was born and I follow the "rules" but he is learning to speak at his own pace.

Among my 4 children, the more childcare the earlier & the better the talking (and the less childcare, the later and more deplorable the talking).

Well the "evidence" of my three children would "prove" that nursery has the advantage as my eldest DD who was at fulltime day nursery from four months was the earliest and most fluent talker (speaking in full sentences by 12 months). The other two were reasonable early talkers but not freakily so. And that proves... why nothing.
All children are different, all families are different, childcare settings too differ markedly from one another and dinner-party chatter does not a research study make. Nor do anecdotes on Mumsnet.

DD1 has been in nursery FT since aged 9 months (she is 2.5y now), and is a fab talker, knows her 1-10 in two different languages, etc.

Best mates DD (same age as mine) has never been to nursery, and her speech levels are exactly the same as my DD.

They are all the same by the time they reach school age.

The development of speech varies such a lot between individual children though, even within a family, and it's particularly noticeable between about 14 months and 2.5 (cue much obsessing by proud or anxious parents). By 3 the majority of children can talk pretty well and everyone has forgoten who was first to string two words together.

DD is 19ths and chats for England. Has been talking since before her 1st birthday, but then I think thats just her characther.
Even as a newborn she was soooo nosey! Happiest when being held facing outwards enabling her to see what was going on.
Now she comments on everything she sees and doesnt stop from mornig to night.

As a SAHM, ive always chatted to her about everyday jobs and things we are doing from tiny which she has really picked up on. But again thats her all over again. She only needs to hear it or see it once and she remembers it.

I personally think that commentry really helps wether it be from Nursery or Mum/Dad/Grandparents etc but also the childs temperament plays a big part.

Well I'm a SAHM and whilst my DD was a brilliant talker, my DS was absolutely rubbish. I did the same with both, so it goes to show that it's a lot to do with the child IMO.

Ds (13mo) is already doing well with speech..DD (2 1/2) isn't - if anything i made much less effort with Ds

probably surrounded by other children they would need to communicate more than with their mum (as DD has her needs met without the need to speak, probably more difficult around people who knew her less well)

actually i think there is research into this showing that children who have other talking siblings/ children around them (regardless of the nature of the situation) develop speech sooner.

My DS is way ahead of 4 out of the 5 in my entirely non-scientific group of peers (my NCT antenatal group). Some are at nursery full time, some at home full time, my DS is half and half (3 days nursery, 4 days home with me/DH). But he is way behind one crazily gifted peer who was talking in sentences at 15mo (5 days a week in nursery incidentally)

DS's language has come on immensely since he started nursery at 21mo (now almost 2 and talking in more or less full sentences with verbs, prepositions, possessives etc.) but I think that just naturally coincided with his own language explosion rather than being nursery per se.

We do read together and talk a lot though when at home, and tv/radio is rarely on so no background noise to get in the way of his hearing/speaking. I think that is more important than where it is happening or who is doing it. But I think the most important thing is the child's own development path - most of them get to the same standard by school, it's just that their individual language explosion (where the words come thick and fast, and they just seem to get what talking is about) is anywhere between 18mo and about 3 years I think.

I'm a SAHM.

DD1 didn't utter her first word until 23 months.

DD2 started speaking lots of words at 14 months.

Same mum, same life - every child is different.

I agree with those who have said it depends on the child.

I have one "below average" and one "way ahead" with speech. As MM says - same mum, same life, every child is different.

Great topic, and one that's been on my mind a lot recently!

I'm a SAHM (well, I do work but mostly from home, but DS never been to nursery). He hardly says a word despite me talking and reading to him until I'm sick of my own voice. He's nearly 2. I second whoever said they don't have to try so hard with mum - I know exactly what he's trying to communicate so he never has to say actual words.

All my friends' DCs who have gone to nursery say absolutely loads. I'm going to send my own DS at the end of April. Although it's not for this reason, I am hoping it helps otherwise SALT here we come.

I like the fact that im so intune with my DS that he doesn't have to ask/tell me exactly what he wants
he is on track i would say for a 2 yr old, and he has never been to nursery, he is an only child at the moment, and we don't go to playdates etc either, its me and him mostly, we read a lot and i talk loudly when we are outside, im never in a hurry so i have time to stop the buggy and point things out etc
we sing songs, we invent songs lol, dance about.
Even if it was proven that nursery makes children speak sooner etc that still wouldn't make me put him in one, i don't understand the big rush of getting them trained like little adults so quickly, maybe thats just me