Mouth Hurts

The game-changing magic of language acquisition

A child paints outside. Photo by the author.

Our toddler is having a language explosion. Words take shape more easily for her, and words that used to sound like swears now sound like what she means instead. (Frog, anyone?)

It’s fascinating to watch her try to wrap her mouth around new sounds. We’re learning to listen well enough to understand her unique way of speaking. It’s a…