When they just don't stop talking...

[Embassy]

How do you deal with a child who constantly talks about everything he is learning? As a parent I want to show interest and don't want to discourage his enthusiasm, but sometimes it is too much. I mean he can talk for hours day after day and half of the stuff I don't understand. I've looked into a club in his main interest area, but the clubs I have found so far are more like places to hear lectures rather than talk.

 

I had a teacher in grade 9 that rolled his eyes at me because I asked too many questions. That shut me up and I hardly ever asked questions after that incident and I went to school for 9 more years after that. Knowing that affected me like that I hesitate to tell my son to "cool it" even through we have out of necessity told him to talk to us after we finish x. Dh has told him straight out to stop talking about x, but he will usually tolerate a couple of hours of listening to our son first.

 

I know he needs an outlet, but I don't know where to find one. Right now he lives and breathes astronomy, but once he soaks that up quite well he will move on to something else.

 

Any suggestions?

[2smartones]

Ask questions that are on topic, but that you know he doesn't have an answer for. That serves two purposes ... (1) He'll shut up and get out of your hair and (2) he'll see your question as encouragement to go seek out the answer. He'll be learning how to learn/research/explore rather than having the information spoon fed to him.

[Embassy]

Ask questions that are on topic, but that you know he doesn't have an answer for. That serves two purposes ... (1) He'll shut up and get out of your hair and (2) he'll see your question as encouragement to go seek out the answer. He'll be learning how to learn/research/explore rather than having the information spoon fed to him.

 

Maybe I can try this. It is hard when he knows more than I do about the topic though. He doesn't have any difficulty searching out and researching. He spends most of his free time doing that it seems.

[Cindy in NY]

I have no advise because I'm in the same boat. I just listened to 2 hours of monologue about the Science of Star Wars

 

If we were closer I would send him over and they could talk to each other!

[jillian]

Ask questions that are on topic, but that you know he doesn't have an answer for. That serves two purposes ... (1) He'll shut up and get out of your hair and (2) he'll see your question as encouragement to go seek out the answer. He'll be learning how to learn/research/explore rather than having the information spoon fed to him.

This and maybe try to set up a "share" time where he can share with you all about what he is learning. Do you have any friends or such that specialize in the areas that he's interested in? Maybe they could meet with him and talk for a couple hours per week.

[LisaDSB]

I can feel your pain. I have two kids and a husband who are all the same -- all that's missing is the podium for their endless lectures. Sometimes they are quite informative, but I seem to have little time to "be in my own head" with these fellows around.

 

We haven't tried this yet, but what about setting up a blog (private or public) for your son to write a column about his interests. I may try that here soon. Recently, my son was asked by his speech therapist to give a lecture on astronomy to her group class (by videotape). It is an amazing gift that these kids have -- that they can be so passionate about a subject and so willing and capable of sharing it. They'll probably make great professors some day.

 

I guess the other thing you can do is have him wander around after you while you're doing housework and let him natter on. Utter the occasional "hmmm", "interesting", "is that right?" and maybe he won't catch on that you aren't entirely interested!

 

Also, like you, I am so far behind my kids' knowledge level in some of these areas that I can't really challenge them anymore by asking questions that make them go off and research. If my peabrain can think of the question, you can be sure that they already have -- and have the answer at hand.

 

Not much advice, just sympathy. But do remember to count your blessings -- imagine the alternative!

[Tree House Academy]

I tune him out and say things in 5 minute intervals like, "yes honey," "oh, really?" "that's nice." It pacifies him and lalalalala plays loudly in my head while he talks.

 

(Didn't I mention I had the bad mother of the year award in an earlier post? I meant it. :lol:)

[Capt_Uhura]

How about a digital voice recorder?

[nitascool]

My MIL gave her son (that would be my husband haha) a tape recorder. He still has tapes of himself being a superstar and singing Elvis songs when he was 6. He has tapes of "Cool Radio" his make believe radio station that he and his older brother made up. Low tech but extremely effective.

 

If you have a digital camera/video recorder you can have him transfer them into mini-movies. Then he can look back at what he's said and he can work on public speaking skills. It would be a good opportunity to teach him to focus on the main ideas. Also it will encourage his exploration of knowledge without driving you completely mad. At least these are the thinks that keep me somewhat sane. :lol:

[Crimson Wife]

I tune him out and say things in 5 minute intervals like, "yes honey," "oh, really?" "that's nice." It pacifies him and lalalalala plays loudly in my head while he talks.

 

I am *SO* glad that you admitted to doing this! I do it constantly with my oldest. :lol:

 

My youngest is shaping up to be a talker as well so hopefully once she actually gets comprehensible my two girls will yak at each other rather than constantly at me ;)

[Catiejoy]

I second the blog idea - hope you have internet- it has worked for us

[Misty]

I have a walking encyclopedia in my house and while she does have some interesting things to say, she just talks way too much.. I just cannot keep up.. I HAVE to tune her out and pretend I'm listening.. I try to listen sometimes, but it wears me down... I answer "really?" about 50 times a day, but I usually don't have a clue what she just said..

[Truscifi]

I tune him out and say things in 5 minute intervals like, "yes honey," "oh, really?" "that's nice." It pacifies him and lalalalala plays loudly in my head while he talks.

 

(Didn't I mention I had the bad mother of the year award in an earlier post? I meant it. :lol:)

 

So I'm not the only one!! :tongue_smilie:

 

Ds6 actually came up with something on his own - his is currently working on a power point presentation about crocodilians. I'm sure I will have to watch it a few (thousand) times when it is done, but for right now it is keeping him occupied during much of his free time. He came up with the idea because he is learning how to use power point for presentations in the once a week gifted class he goes to at ps.