[Source:  ASHAsphere]
by Ana Paula Mumy

I was a speech language pathologist for seven years before I became a mother. I love our field and the chances I get to bring positive change to the lives of children and their families. As a parent, being an SLP helps me be more attuned to my children’s developmental milestones.

My professional skills also allow me to provide my children rich language input, particularly because they are growing up in a bilingual home. I consciously employed language strategies such as narration, expansions and recasts in our everyday interactions. So now, when my 6-year-old daughter says, “Mommy, I made an observation about rainbows today,” or when my 4 1/2-year-old son says, “Alvin was being irresponsible” when talking about Alvin the Chipmunk’s many mischievous behaviors, it affirms that, yes, purposeful, engaging play builds language! Yes, consistent book sharing experiences build vocabulary! Yes, attentive caregiving builds confidence in children!

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