Talking Toddlers
Calm, developmentally grounded guidance for moms of babies and toddlers.
As a mom of a baby or toddler, it can feel like everyone has an opinion - and very few answers that actually make things clearer. The noise is loud. The pressure is real. And the uncertainty can be exhausting.
Talking Toddlers is a podcast for moms who want calm, trustworthy, developmentally grounded guidance - without fear, guilt, or unrealistic expectations.
I’m Erin Hyer, a licensed speech-language pathologist with nearly 35 years of experience supporting young children and their families. I’ve spent my career on the floor with toddlers, partnering with parents, consulting with early educators, and training graduate students to understand how children truly grow, learn, and communicate - through relationships, everyday routines, and meaningful language experiences.
This podcast breaks down how the young brain learns, why certain behaviors or challenges show up, and how parents can gently support development before small concerns become bigger ones. I believe parents are in a powerful position — not to do more, but to understand more.
Each episode offers:
- Practical, real-life strategies you can use during everyday routines
- Gentle explanations of the why behind toddler behavior and development
- Supportive conversations that help you feel less alone and more confident
My goal is simple: to help moms feel empowered and toddlers feel supported - so learning, communication, and connection can grow naturally at home.
New episodes of Talking Toddlers are released weekly.
This is a space for clarity, connection, and courage - where moms come to slow down, trust themselves, and support their child’s development with confidence.
Episodes
154 episodes
The Problem Isn’t the Meltdown - It’s How You Respond Ep 154
Your baby fusses in the car seat and your chest tightens. Your toddler falls apart when the block tower tumbles. Every instinct says — fix it, fast. But what if rushing in is quietly preventing the very thing you want to build?<...
The Baby Gear Mistake Almost Every Parent Makes Ep 153
Your baby didn't ask for a nursery full of gear. She asked for you.In this episode, Erin breaks down three of the most common baby products on the market — containers, weighted blankets, and white noise machines — and explains exactly wh...
The Hidden Skills Your Child Needs Before They Talk Ep 152
If you’ve ever wondered, “Should my child be talking by now?” or "Is he talking enough?" -- this episode will give you clarity.Before children use words, they build the skills that make talking possible.In ...
Listening Is a Skill - Here’s How It Develops Ep 151
"My toddler isn't listening."If you've said those words - or thought them - this episode is for you.In this episode of Talking Toddlers, speech-language pathologist Erin (with nearly 40 years in early intervention) unpacks one of ...
Why Your Toddler’s Behavior Isn’t Really About Them Ep 150
Have you ever reacted to your toddler… and then immediately wondered, “Why did I just do that?”In this episode, we look beneath the surface of toddler behavior and explore a truth that can feel both confronting and freeing: some...
Your Toddler’s Brain Is Built at Night (Most Parents Miss This) Ep 149
What if the most powerful thing you could do for your toddler's development happened while they were asleep?In this episode, licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist Erin Hyer breaks down the neuroscience of sleep in early...
5 Well-Meaning Habits That Delay Speech - And the Simple Fix (Part 2) Ep 148
Last week I introduced the first two habits quietly getting in the way of your toddler's speech.This week we go deeper.In Part 2 I'm sharing Habits 3, 4, and 5 - and these are the ones that tend to stop parents cold. Not because t...
5 Well-Meaning Habits That Delay Speech - And the Simple Fix (Part 1) Ep 147
If you've ever watched your toddler at a playground - wanting to join in, but not quite knowing how - this episode is for you.After nearly 40 years as a speech-language pathologist, I've worked with hundreds of families whose children we...
What Our Kids Lose When We Stop Eating Together - And How to Get It Back Ep 146
What if one of the most powerful things you can do for your child's brain, language, and emotional development isn't a program, a therapy, or a curriculum — it's dinner?In this foundational episode, speech-language pathologist and child ...
The Most Overlooked Disruptor in Your Child’s Development (It’s in Almost Every Home) Ep 145
There's something running in the background of most homes with young children right now. Not something dramatic. Not something you'd even think to question.The TV. Just on. Nobody watching. Life happening around it.And after nearl...
Are We Making Toddlerhood Too Complicated? Ep 144
Parents have never had more information about early childhood than they do today. We track sleep, research milestones, optimize toys, and fill our days with activities meant to help our toddlers thrive.And yet - many parents ...
Why Some Kids Cooperate - And Others Struggle Ep 143
Are calm, cooperative kids just born that way?Recently, there’s been growing conversation around Japanese parenting - how children there seem more respectful, more self-disciplined, and more socially aware.But is it cultural magic...
When Your Gut Keeps Whispering “Pay Attention” Ep 142
Sometimes it’s not a loud concern.It’s not panic.It’s just a quiet feeling you can’t shake.A whisper that says: pay attention.If your baby or toddler isn’t talking the way you expected — and you’ve been told not t...
Why Your Toddler Isn’t Listening Yet (And What Actually Builds It) Ep 141
If you’ve ever wondered “Why won’t my toddler listen?” — this episode is for you.Many parents assume listening is a behavior problem.But developmentally, listening is a brain skill — one that takes time, guidance, ...
Why Some Toddlers Struggle to Talk (And What Actually Helps) Ep 140
If your toddler isn’t talking much yet, you may feel pressure to do more -talk more, label more, teach more.But after 35 years in early intervention, I’ve learned something important:speech doesn’t grow from more words.It ...
You’re Not Behind (Yet) — This Matters More Than Words Ep 139
If your toddler isn’t talking much yet, this episode is for you.Many parents worry about words — how many, how clear, how often. But long before speech shows up reliably, something else is being built underneath.In this episode, E...
Why Asking “What’s This?” Often Backfires With Late Talkers Ep 138
If your toddler isn’t talking much yet, you may have found yourself asking, “What’s this?” — hoping to hear a word.But for many late talkers, that well-intentioned question quietly shuts things down.In this episode, Erin ...
Why Parenting Feels Harder Than You Thought (And What Actually Helps) Ep 137
Many parents enter early parenthood expecting exhaustion — but not the constant feeling of being on edge, unsure, or reactive, even when they’re trying their best.In this episode of Talking Toddlers, we take a step back from tip...
What Actually Matters in the First 3 Years (35 Years of Perspective) Ep 136
After more than 35 years of sitting on floors with babies and toddlers - and walking alongside thousands of mothers - I’ve learned something that still surprises people.The children who thrive in the first three years aren’t raised by pa...
If Christmas Feels Like Too Much, You’re Not Doing It Wrong Ep 135
If Christmas feels overwhelming - for you or your toddler - you’re not imagining it.And you’re not doing anything wrong.For babies and toddlers, the holiday season brings more noise, more stimulation, more people, more st...
Your Toddler Doesn’t Need a Bigger Christmas - They Need a Calmer One Ep 134
Christmas can feel heavy for moms of babies and toddlers - full of pressure, expectations, and the fear of getting it wrong.In this episode of Talking Toddlers, we talk about why a simpler, calmer Christmas is often exactly what young...
I’ve Seen Hundreds of “Late Talkers.” Here’s What All Parents Miss. Ep 133
If you want your child to talk well — not just say more words — this episode will change the way you think about early communication.Because here’s the truth:Talking doesn’t just “show up” one day.It grows from the da...
I’ve Helped Toddlers Talk for 35 Years. If You Want Your Baby to Talk Well, Watch This. Ep 132
If you want your baby or toddler to talk well — not just say more words — this episode is your starting point.Because IMITATION is the skill that comes before gestures, babbling, understanding, and ...
This ALWAYS Happens Before Babies Say Their First Word (Every Parent Misses This One) Ep 131
The Hidden Step Before First Words (Every Parent Misses This One)If your toddler isn’t using many words yet, this episode will change the way you see early communication. Most parents—and honestly, many professionals—f...
Why Toddlers Won’t Share (And Why You Can Stop Worrying) Ep 130
Are you tired of feeling embarrassed when your toddler won’t share?In this episode of Talking Toddlers, Erin Hyer, speech-language pathologist and early development specialist, breaks down what’s really happening inside your chi...