When my toddler wasn’t talking, I blamed myself. I didn’t know what was normal anymore

It started out with little things. My son didn’t babble much. He wasn’t saying “mama” or calling out for things the way other kids his age were. At first, I told myself he was just taking his time. Everyone around me kept saying kids develop differently, and I wanted to believe that. But as time went on, I noticed the gap getting wider. Other toddlers were putting words together. Mine was still silent. He’d pull my hand to what he wanted or cry when I didn’t get it right. The frustration was building on both sides, and deep down, I knew I needed to look deeper. There were other things too. He didn’t always respond when I said his name. He played mostly on his own. He was very particular about lining things up and following certain routines. I started to wonder if it might be autism. I didn’t panic, but I felt overwhelmed. I had so many questions and barely any answers. Like most mums, I turned to the internet. I downloaded milestone charts, saved tips, watched videos late into the night. But most of what I found either confused me more or made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough. Everything felt like too much. What actually helped was slowing down. I started meeting him where he was instead of trying to push him into where I thought he should be. We played more. I talked out loud about everything we were doing. I used gestures and pictures. I stopped looking for fast results and focused on connecting with him. That’s when I saw real change. He still has challenges, and we’re waiting for an assessment, but things feel lighter now. He’s trying more. I’m understanding him better. And I don’t feel like I’m failing anymore. If you’re going through something like this, just know you're not alone. You’re doing your best. And sometimes that quiet voice inside us is right. Listen to it. Trust yourself. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. I’m always happy to chat or share more if it helps another parent feel a little less alone. 🥺💕