Keep It Simple Simon
Talking to your child will help increase his vocabulary. Respond to your child’s gestures by accompanying his body language with words. This will help teach your child that words and actions go together. If you play “Simon Says” with your child, you probably wouldn’t get too complex and say, “Simon says do the opening scene from A Chorus Line.” Well, you are always playing “Simon Says” with your child’s language so remember to Keep It Simple Simon! One way to “keep it simple” is to use “parent-ese.”
“Parent-ese” involves:
- Speaking at a slower pace
- Pausing to give your child a chance to respond
- Using simple concrete nouns and actions
- Shortening sentences
- Repeating main points with minor variations (e.g., “Where is the ball? Good boy! You got the ball! Give me the ball.”).
