Have you met a new guy or girl? What happens if you find out they stutter? When you are dating someone who stutters there are a few things that might help – especially if you have no experience with stuttering.
First of all, congratulations on deciding that the communicative abilities of the person you are dating are not as important as who they are. They may have problems expressing themselves sometimes through speaking, but you certainly can have good communication in your relationship.
Help Tips about Dating Someone Who Stutters
Here are some important tips that cover the basics:
- Give your partner enough time to finish what they are trying to say. People who stutter may be slow of speech but it is worth waiting for 🙂
- Maintain ordinary eye contact – especially when they are having trouble speaking. Don’t look away. They need your attention and support even when they stutter.
- Don’t finish what you think your partner is saying. They know what they want to say and just can’t get it out as fast as you can. Guessing what the next word is could be embarrassing or insulting.
- Don’t be afraid to talk about the stuttering unless your partner does not want to. Being able to share their experience and struggles can be very helpful.
- Listen to what your partner is saying rather than how they are saying it. When they can see that you are hanging in there with them, they may feel more relaxed.
- In summary, just talk with the person you are dating like anyone else. They can’t help that they stutter and will appreciate the way you treat them.
Most of this information on dating someone who stutters comes from my own personal experience. I stuttered severely for the first 35 years of my life. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me to meet a person who was willing to understand and treat me just like anyone else.
