May 15, 2025 at 4:24 am

Mom Insists Toddler Is Non-Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

by Diana Logan

a little girl smiles with her hands over her mouth

Source: Pexels (alexander Dummer)/Reddit

I was always surprised to learn how my children acted around their teachers and caretakers as compared to me.

Sometimes you never know what your kids are capable of until you hear it from strangers.

That is, if you are willing to accept that they may act differently in a care situation than they do at home.

In today’s story, we meet a child carer whose charge is a perfectly normal toddler around her, but talks so little around her mother that she’s considered “non-verbal.”

But is she?

Check out the details and decide for yourself.

AITAH for playing a voice recording to prove to my friend her daughter isn’t nonverbal?

So I (30f) have a friend (34f) that has a “non-verbal” daughter (3f) let’s call her Allie.

She isn’t diagnosed or anything but everybody says she doesn’t talk at all.

A lot of times, kids that age are terribly quiet, and it has nothing to do with a neurological order at all.

I watch her 4 days out of the week in my in-home daycare.

Although Allie doesn’t speak much around other adults, she communicates her needs to me very well and says small things to me frequently.

It’s possible this child is talking more while in care becuase she has to to make herself understood to people who don’t quite know her as well.

Last week I was in the bathroom (I keep the door cracked so I can listen and make sure everybody is safe) and she walked by and said “Ew you stinky.”

I laughed and told her mom what she said and I was met with “SHE ISNT VERBAL WHY WOULD YOU MOCK HER”

It’s clear that she was not aware that there was any kind of special need to keep in mind.

I reassured her that Allie has spoken to me quite a few times and I thought that it was a huge milestone.

She told me she didn’t believe me and that it was messed up that I would make up something like that to upset her.

I told her that I wasn’t trying to upset her but I wasn’t lying either.

So I didn’t press the issue further.

The woman was obviously baffled that the mother thought this about her daughter.

Here’s where I might be the AH.

I decided to record Allie (a voice recording, not her face) telling me her name and what her favorite animal is.

Apparently no one in the family knew that the little girl was capable of speech.

Fast forward to yesterday she had a birthday party for her other child.

At the party I was socializing with other family members and I mentioned the funny things Allie has said to me.

Turns out the person I was talking to was her sister and she started yelling at me saying “SHE IS NON-VERBAL WHY ARE YOU LYING”.

She was shocked that everyone turned against her when she thought they would be happy to learn the child was just shy.

Both her and her sister start berating me saying that it’s messed up that I’m making this up about Allie being verbal.

At this point I’m tired of being called a liar.

I have two disabled children whom my son was non-verbal for many years.

As far as this woman was concerned, people were blowing this way out of proportion.

So while everybody was staring at me I decided to prove my case and play the voice recording.

Everybody was shocked and my friend told me to leave.

I told her I didn’t want to cause issues but I’m not gonna be berated and called a liar.

She said that I crossed the line recording her daughter and that I’m an a****** for embarrassing her at the party.

Was it really such a problem to let them know how the little girl behaved at daycare?

Now I feel horrible and wondering if I should have just let it go.

Was it really such a problem to let them know how the little girl behaved at daycare?

In the comments, people noted that this response was so bizarre, there might be a bigger issue going on, particularly as there had never been an indication when the kid was enrolled in daycare that she had special needs or had been diagnosed with anything.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.59.20 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

No one who actually deals with a special needs child should be anything less than elated to hear about progress being made.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.57.43 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

In fact, there are particular pathologies in which family members benefit from the sickness or disability of those around them, and exaggerate, make up, or even create situations for sympathy and attention.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.58.28 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

If that is what is going on here, people’s hearts are going out to this child. Clearly something is happening that is keeping her from talking at home, whether it’s the child’s choice or not.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.57.17 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

It might just be above the pay grade of this childcare provider, though, and it’s time to call in the experts, be that doctors or other officials.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.57.31 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

And some people pointed out that although she is obviously this little girl’s “safe space” it may not be a great idea to continue to provide her with childcare after all these accusations.

Screenshot 2025 04 24 at 3.57.57 PM Mom Insists Toddler Is Non Verbal, But Childcare Provider Has A Recording Of Her Speaking

They had their beliefs, but she had proof.

This is one bizarre story.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.