Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy What to do - talking at school

My child is a talker. And not just a little chatty, but a non-stop talker. He was a late talker, but I feel he's still making up for lost time. Ever since he started school, that's been the main topic regarding performance. He does great, no behavior problems except for the talking. We've tried to help him with understanding that he can't run his mouth all day long, his teachers have tried. So far, no one has been able to get through.

I always thought maybe it was because he didn't have enough to keep him busy concentrating on other things. I don't think that's it. He's been accelerated and of course, it's still an issue. He's got the gift of gab. One of his teachers a couple of years ago said "he's just got so much going on in his head that he's got to get it out". I'm at a loss as to what to do. Of course, I don't want to see him get into trouble at school, but I wonder if that might not be the only thing to get the point across. I think his teachers have tended to overlook the talking or he's had minor consequences that haven't really been a problem for him. I'm sure his talking is disruptive to others, even though he's not the only one participating.

Any suggestions/ideas for helping a loquacious child be quiet?

Yep, he's 9 - how did you guess? He's in 5th grade now and his teacher has already brought it up. I don't think he's working in groups at the time...I mean he's at a table with 3-4 other kids, but I don't think it's group work, know what I mean?

I haven't figured out why he does it, he just does. He doesn't talk any more when he's nervous than when he's not. He's not a great listener, although his 1st grade teacher told me that he could chat non-stop with attention directed elsewhere and still respond appropriately to whatever she might have asked. He is impulsive and always has been - we've been working on thinking about things before doing/saying them. He's quick too, he jumps around from topic to topic and back again - it's hard to keep up if you're not used to it.

That sounds just like my brother-in-law. Unfortunately, he's 32 and still doing it!

I'm sorry that I don't have anything constructive to add but I am curious to hear any techniques. I have two boys who talk non-stop too -even in their sleep!

Sooo, you're telling me there's no end in sight?

Reminds me of when DH and I first got married. He reported that I talk in my sleep. Then he wise-cracked that he isn't sure why that surprises him. Apparently he feels that I talk a lot. I also sing and hum. I guess that is a form of Motor OverExcitability. I just wish I could loose weight from all that motor activity.

Anyway. I have no good ideas, but do try teaching him to touch type. See if they will let him text message to a journal during school hours. My grandfather taught me a fingerspelling alphabet, and that was fun for focused wiggling. I've heard that Extroverts talk to find out what they think. LOL, that sounds like me.

about 25% of the time, when i'm posting here, I have no idea what I'm going to say, and when my fingers clack the keyboard, I'm very thrilled at what comes out! Always nice to be suprised!

good luck, actually, I think that DS's self control clicked in at age 10. He learned to whistle on his 9th birthday, and kept it up nonstop for the whole year. Inhale and exhale.

Love,
Grinity