Have you ever used a "big" word, such as "apologize" instead of "sorry," when talking to a small child, only to have the parent say, "He's too little to understand such a big word!"?

I have. I’ve also been accused of using words “nobody else knows, ” trying to make people feel stupid by using complicated words, and Lord knows what else. My advice is to have the kid look up the word if he doesn’t know it.

Many times. Those kids don’t last long in my classes because their parents are nincompoops.

I’ve never had that happen, though I sometimes think to myself, “what am I saying?” when I find myself using “big words” with my own small child. There are certainly words that are harder for them to pronounce, but understand? I don’t know. I generally don’t believe in talking down to little kids. If they don’t get a word, I’ll explain it. If they can’t express that they don’t get it, or you can’t figure it out and rephrase, then it may not matter if they fully get it, it’s just a new word floating around for a while. As a result of all this my 3 year old uses “big words” and knows what they mean all the time.

Wait, you people are talking about kids in school or old enough to read? No, there’s no word too big for such a child. My 3 year old knows much “bigger” words than “apologize”.

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious….......most kids know this big word

@mrentropy and @gussnarp No, I’m talking about two and three year olds….

@Val123 So am I.

@mrentropy A two or three year old probably won’t be able to look the word up. I’m talking about the parents insisting that a word is “too big” for a kid.

I haven’t had that particular thing said to me, however, I have heard parents say it’s a waste of time reading to little kids because they don’t understand anyway, which is equally ignorant. The point is, kids learn how to talk using both “little words” and “big words” by hearing them used. If the kid doesn’t understand, one should explain what the words mean. Also, I doubt anyone involved in IQ testing would agree that big words shouldn’t be used around kids.

And, as you pointed out, it is difficult to determine which is which. Is hippopotamus a big word? Most 2–3 yr olds know what a hippopotamus is.

@jhp Nice!

@Val123 Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. While I’m sure a 3 year old won’t be running to the dictionary, I’m sure there would be someone (like me who just used the word) who would be willing to explain what it meant if it was necessary.

What I’ve found so far, though, is that children don’t necessarily need to know the meaning of the word because they can infer what it means by the way it’s used—something I think gets lost in many people as they get older.

No, and if any parent ever said that to me, I’d respond “Would you like me to buy you a dictionary so you can explain it to him?”

@Val123 This is the only way we speak to our son. That is why he has an “advanced” vocabulary for his age. Sadly, he can’t understand most kids his age, since most use words like “choo-choo” or “horsies”.

Anyone ever see the Christopher Titus bit?

“I never talked baby talk to my daughter. I don’t get parents who do that. You’re teaching them a language that no one speaks. ‘Awwww, how come your kid’s retarded?’ ‘I taught him that!’”

I have a large vocabulary since I have been an avid reader ever since I learned to read. My kids, too, have advanced vocabularies, and no teacher has ever been disappointed by that.

And when, upon occasion a parent protests, saying their child doesn’t understand that big word, I often ask the child what the word means and generally they know. To use your example in the original question, almost every small child I know realizes that “apologize” means to say you are sorry.

As to reading to children, I started reading to mine when they were tiny babies only a few months old. My daughter’s favorite book was any book with pictures of babies in it, and my son’s was any book with pictures of construction equipment in it.

@SpatzieLover I always spoke “advanced” English to my kids too. No baby talk.

I’ve never encountered that scenario and most of the kids I know are pretty articulate, apologize wouldn’t be considered a big or uncommon word.

You should just explain to the parent, that you interchanging such words, help their child increase their vocabulary. Of course, if you’ve never used “apologize” when interacting with the child, you should explain that it means they need to say sorry. (And you may have to occasionally remind them what the meaning is) Children should be introduced to new words, ideas, experiences, etc. to help them in their development and future education.
I work at a Head Start and most parents we deal with are undereducated so it is not uncommon for us to have to explain the reasons we do the things we do and they way we do them. However, most parents understand and even get excited to see that their child is learning.

@mramsey I taught at Headstart for a while.

@Val123 How did you like it? I love it there!

Apparently, we should use little words for children as old as 13

@mramsey (I just now saw your question to me!) Um….I’m not really cut out to be a pre-school teacher. It’s tough. Plus, in Headstart, the kids are there because their parents are very low income, and with the attendant problems that many low-income families have. Anything below 4th grade drives me bonkers!!!