Stop saying "like" all the time!

Q: Shortly after starting school full-time, my six-year-old started saying “like” all the time. Is there any way to nip this habit in the bud? He didn’t learn it from his parents!

A: Nope, he didn’t learn it from his parents — he learned it from the other kids in his classroom! Children learn from their environment and school is no different. My suggestion is for you, as parents, to model the type of speech that you would like him to use and encourage this at home.

This may not stop the behaviour entirely, but it should reduce the occurrences at home.