Let's Chat

Let’s Chat

                Having a conversation with an infant or toddler is enjoyable.  The experiences they share with adults, through their view, can be quite entertaining.  Talking with an infant is much more subtle but also enjoyable and valuable.  These verbal interactions take place differently for the variant in age of the child; yet, having conversations with children of all ages is important.

                A beginning phase of communication would be with an infant.  The simple interaction between parent and baby send messages to an infant that will affect future communication skills.  A conversation with an infant may go something like this.

                                Baby:  Looking up at the teddy bear mom is holding above her.

                                Mom:  “You like the bear don’t you?”

                                Baby:  Continues to look at the bear.

                That is a very elementary conversation and mom is verbalizing what she sees the baby is thinking.  As long as the baby is attending to the bear, there is a conversation that can go back and forth as mom continues to interact.

                As the child grows, the conversation does too.  A developing conversation may look something like this:

                                Baby and parent are on the couch with a teddy bear. 

The bear falls to the floor.

Baby looks at the fallen teddy bear.

Parent:  “That’s your favorite teddy isn’t it?” 

Parent waits for baby to respond. 

Baby reaches for the bear. 

Parent hands baby the bear.

Baby starts chewing on the bear.

Parent:  “You love your teddy.”

                The difference between the first conversation and the second is the level of the baby’s interaction.  More than just looking now, the baby not only reaches, but also starts to chew on the teddy bear.  The parent interacts and provides verbalization to the thoughts and feelings the baby is experiencing.

                Then - the time that all parents wait for - the baby starts to use words.  By now, most babies have gained a vocabulary from all the previous conversations they have had with their parents.  Mom and dad have provided a lot of words for baby by interpreting into words, the thoughts and feelings baby has previously experienced. 

                Now a conversation may look something more like this:

                                Baby:  Lifts a ball to show dad and says “ba.”

                                Dad:  “Ball.  You like your ball.”

                                Baby:  Hands the ball to dad.

                                Dad:  “Ball.  Red ball.”  Hands the ball back to baby.

                                Baby:  Takes the ball, smiles, and say’s “ba.”

                Dad just reinforced baby’s use of the word ball and enunciated it correctly several times.  Baby feels like dad cares and is encouraged with his effort to verbalize.

                At this point, conversations will begin to multiply.  Because of all the conversations they have had, their vocabulary is broad and their efforts at verbalization have been rewarding.  As they develop greater conversation skills, their single sounds evolve to words, and the single words expand to word combinations.  Enunciation is not always clear as children are beginning to use words.  There are times when parents have to explore possible interpretations to the words children are attempting to say.

                It may go something like the following:

                                Child:  Points to the fridge and says, “ma.”

                                Mom:  “Mama.  Mama’s right here.”

                                Child:  Points again and says, “dink…ma.”

                                Mom:  “Not mama?  Ok.  You want something in the fridge?”

                                Child:  Walks to the fridge and says, “dink…ma.”

                                Mom:  Opens the fridge and notices that baby is looking and pointing at the milk.  “Milk.  You want a drink of milk?”

                                Child:  Smiles and says, “dink…ma.”

                                Mom:  “Ok.  Milk.  You can have a drink of milk.”

                Sometimes it may be difficult to figure out what they are saying, but with effort, it can usually be done.  Under most circumstances the more opportunities a parent repeats a meaningful word to a child, the more quickly the child will say the word or words. 

                So, don’t hesitate to have conversations with your newborn baby.  Talk away!  You are doing your child a favor by giving them attention; and the word bombardment will open their understanding and broaden their vocabulary.  With this practice, when they are ready to talk, they will have a word data base to start with.

                Have fun observing your baby and interpreting for them the thoughts and expressions you see on their faces.  It is a fun, bonding experience.  You will get to know your child better, and they will have more confidence in their efforts.