Criticism is usually ineffective and it can also be destructive - not a winning combination. So stop making any negative comments about his speech. Instead, try the CLeaR Method (see Raise Your Kids without Raising Your Voice for details). When he says something intelligible, make a Comment ("I like how clearly you said that.") Follow with a Label ("That was quite articulate of you."). Follow with a Reward ("by the way, I thought we'd have steak tonight for dinner - we haven't had that in ages and I know how much you liked it last time."). Use all three steps for the next few times you catch him taking the trouble to speak more clearly. Then begin to phase out the reward step and just keep up the comment-label routine indefinitely. If this doesn't cure the problem to your satisfaction, do take your son to a speech therapist for an assessment and any necessary remediation. He may need professional assistance in overcoming his speech style.    Sarah Chana