Your young child is growing unbelievably fast—and believe it or not, his or her brain is making new connections even faster. Faster even than your baby turns into a toddler, your child is learning new words, skills, and concepts. Imagine an adorable, baby-shaped sponge that is eager to absorb all the wonders that the world has to offer.
One of the very best things you can do to feed your little one’s brain is to talk to him or her. Even before they are verbal themselves, and able to talk back, your child is learning new words from you. In fact, this is how young children learn language. Sadly, by the time they are 18 months old, disparities between children who are spoken to consistently and using sophisticated language (rather than just commands or baby talk) and children who are rarely spoken to are apparent, and the difference in their vocabularies tend to persist and even widen as they start school.[1]
So, talk to your child all day long—don’t be shy about telling your child about your day, tell stories from your own childhood, and tell your child all of your hopes and dreams for him or her. If your child is already talking, ask him or her to tell you stories about his or her day, thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Encourage your child to produce as much language and use as many words as possible.
In fact, I challenge you to talk to your child in public—set a good example for other parents. If anyone asks why you are talking to a baby or toddler as though he/she is an adult, explain to them that by talking to your child, you are helping to ensure that your child has a successful future.
[1] Hart, B., & Risley, T. (1995). Meaningful differences in the everyday experiences of young American children.
Jayashree says
ha ha ha…. already done talkin in public when kid was very small n termed as lunatic by few.