It’s been said that you spend the first 2 years teaching your children to WALK and TALK, and the rest of their lives telling them to “SIT DOWN” and “SHUT UP!” With our 2 month old, Ariana, the fun has just begun. For several weeks she has been sharing her heart-melting smile when we speak to her in that high, “baby talk” voice. But within the last week, she has begun to find her voice and make cooing sounds in response. And it’s gratifying to see how proud of herself she is. I promptly repeat the sound back to her in acknowledgment.
An author from iVillage gives some advice on improving your baby’s language skills. Read the full article here.
Have “conversations” with your baby. Young babies begin the skills of conversing by “taking turns.” They coo, look at you and wait. You coo and they coo back. In that simple interaction, they practice the structure of conversation and they learn that they will be responded to when they reach out to communicate.
I am so fascinated at how soon infants become “teachable”. Mind you, I’m not expecting to give structured lessons on geometry or grammar anytime soon! But I know enough about child development to realize how beneficial it is to reinforce certain desired behaviors. So my work of socializing this beautiful creature is already in full swing.
We’re also getting a crash course in that arena with my 13 year old son. I was very young when I had him. And I was working and taking a heavy load of college courses. So I did not have the opportunity to give that level of attention. It seemed that keeping him fed, dry and cuddled was more than adequate. He’s a great kid. And when he stands next to many of his peers, he shines. But it’s easy to see what additional work it to be done.
It all seems like a lion’s share of work until you realize that you have immediate and significant impact on your child’s development, self efficacy and future success. So FIND YOUR VOICE. Take the time. Give that extra bit of attention. And help your son or daughter continue to grow up to be the magnificent individuals that they are.
