Otis is nearly four weeks old and I feel like I need a
refresher... it's too easy to forget or get distracted by the
busyness of everyday life. My key points for talking to a
newborn: - speak to your child from the start, slowly and calmly
- use good grammar and clear pronunciation - look into the
child's eyes when speaking - let the child see you speak, speak
face to face - expose the child to adult (and sibling) language
and conversation - recognise that tone conveys a message and
emotion to a child - talk about what you are doing, name body
parts and household items - talk to the child about what you are
about to do (before you do it) as in "I am going to pick you up"
- associate voice with pleasure as with singing, humming -
recognise the newborn's points of reference include a mother's
voice and will therefore give the child security and comfort
(and can be used to calm a child) - read to your newborn -
remember the importance of a positive atmosphere and that
positive language contributes to the positiv