Ming from Agents of Speech explains why asking kids to repeat words stresses them out. Instead, imitate what they say and add one word or detail: if they say 'mama ball,' you say 'oh, mama ball' or 'You mean mama. Give ball.' This shows you understood them and models richer language without the pressure.
The last thing I want to talk about is you shouldn't ask the child to repeat what you say all the time and try to correct them word for word. Because although you think that it's helping them, which it is, but at the same time it's creating a very stressful environment. And if that's 24, 7 with you, that is not actually nurturing to them. In fact, it's stressful. What should you do? Whenever your child talks, repeat after them and up them one level. So if they say mama ball, you say oh, mama ball. Imitate them and you say oh, right? Y. You mean mama. Give ball one more word. Or just adding a little meaning and semantics to what they said already. But here's the kicker. You don't ask them to repeat after you because you have already done what you wanted and which was to enrich their language. Let them hear it and also imitate so that they know that you got their message and therefore they want to talk more with you. You keep on describing, keep on naming. That's what you should be doing.
