Pssst…here’s a secret that SLPs know but parents don’t: giving your child a treat for coming to speech therapy can hurt more than it helps.
That sugary treat on the way to therapy may seem to give your child a quick energy boost, but that’s not the kind of energy they’ll need. Therapy is hard work, and children respond best when they are calm, focused, and alert. A sugar rush can make it hard for your child to pay attention to instructions and take part in activities that were specially chosen to work on their goals. Plus, all of the time that your SLP spends helping your child stay focused and on-task is time that could have been used supporting successful speech practice. Offering a treat to make going to speech therapy seem like more fun can actually backfire.
Likewise, promising a treat when speech therapy is over can backfire too. For parents, it seems like a great motivator – work hard at speech and you will get a new toy, a favourite snack, or time on the computer, TV, or tablet. But think about it from another perspective – for a child who is anxious to get their hands on the promised treat, the whole speech therapy session may just seem to be standing in the way of something much better!
So, what’s the alternative? Make speech therapy the treat! Talk to you child about how much fun it is to read a new story, make a new craft, or try a new game at speech! Tell your child how much you enjoy spending time together at speech, and how proud you are when you see them working hard. This kind of reward lasts much longer than a donut or a new toy. With a positive attitude about coming to speech, you won’t need to offer treats!
