Your Child Is Your Biggest Fan!
It's amazing how the power of silence has an impact on the youngest listener. Your child is your biggest fan and if, for example, you think of a sponge and how much water it holds, you begin to get a visual of the sheer amount of information, details, non-verbal signs, etc... your child is taking in every day.
Communication begins at birth and must be maintained and cultivated daily. Being a role model of language and respect brings this to reality when your child begins to use words and the language of communication. When you talk to your child use appropriate words that label what items are. This gives your child the correct language when talking and putting words into context. Your child is a person and understand and learns by modeling. When you talk in “baby talk” you are providing confusion since a child hears you talk to adults in a different way. This is truly frustrating to a child. Think about it . . . if you told your friend lets go out for some “yum, yum” on Saturday, what do you think the response would be. Take time to truly listen and communicate on a child’s level so you both are equal.
My hope is you will truly cherish the time with your child and be present when communicating. It is ok to pause, reflect in the moment and just be with your child. This may look like; holding your baby while she naps (and you too), going outside to play tag or hide and seek, lay on the grass and watch the clouds to name a few activities. Take the moment to embrace the opportunity because you are your child’s biggest fan and time in precious, the reality is . . . they will grow up too fast!
- Jackie
Here are a couple quotes I try to keep in mind...
