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Communicate with Baby, essential
Whether it is by crying to express one’s needs or simply by glances, from birth, the infant communicates with those around him. Then come the tweets and babbling, then the first words around 12 months. But before language acquisition is complete, which won’t happen until the age of 3, some parents wonder how to best talk to their baby. Indeed, if for some, communication appears naturally, others find it difficult to put themselves within reach of their little one. However, “the dialogical aspect between two human beings is very important”, explains the child psychiatrist Patrick Ben Soussan. ” And in toddlers, communication helps build the foundation of the fundamentals. Dialogue is essential to develop self-esteem in children ”. This is why, “it is important to prove to him that we want to talk to him, if only by gestures, or even portage”.
Talking baby is a thing of the past!
Onomatopoeias, imitation of chirping, high pitched and playful tones … very often, when talking to their baby, parents are tempted to borrow childish language. However, many specialists advise against this practice. Moreover, an American study, published in February 2014, confirms that it is preferable, to stimulate the intellect of babies, to use a complex vocabulary and syntax. A point largely shared by Patrick Ben Soussan. According to him, ” parents should speak normally with their children. The benefits of authentic words to the baby are proven. And even if they do not determine the meaning of all the words or the meaning of all our words, the little ones have a real appetite for language ”. The specialist also emphasizes the auditory approach that young children can have. “What is important is the ability of the little listener to understand. Children are sensitive to language, long words and different resonances. Getting used to poor and repetitive language leads, over time, to a lack of interest in it “. Hence the importance of using a variety of words to create different interactions. However, there is no point in making long speeches when talking to your baby.
Good times to communicate with Baby
If from birth, parents appreciate the moments of complicity to talk to their baby, know that it is necessary to take some steps to take full advantage of these privileged exchanges. And for good reason, infants are sensitive to the slightest source of light or noise. To keep your baby focused on you and your words, promote calm. For example, consider turning off the television or the music. In addition, as the child psychiatrist Patrick Ben Soussan explains, there are also “moments of alert where sensory and olfactory vigilance is more important, especially when waking up. The child calls for interaction with the other ”, specifies the specialist. The moments intended for body care such as meals, changing … are also conducive to dialogue with your little one. Note also that when the child makes mouth games, babbling, salivating, shouting, it also means that he wants to communicate.
Pregnancy, a special time to talk with Baby
Already in his mother’s womb, the baby is sensitive to sounds. At the end of the fifth month of pregnancy, her ear is so fine that it can perceive sounds coming from outside. Françoise Dolto also considered that “from its conception, the human being is a being of language”. In her work “The major stages of childhood”, the psychoanalyst explains that, already in utero, the word builds the child to come. For his part, Patrick Ben Soussan believes that this can be beneficial. However, “we are not going to say that it is a rule to talk to your stomach during pregnancy. It also depends on the capacity of each in the report to initiate the speech He says.
Communicate with your child differently
Some parents may experience a real blockage in talking to their child. Corn just because you have trouble talking to your baby doesn’t mean you can’t interact with him. Indeed, “language is not the only way to communicate. It can go through other channels: looks, hugs. It is up to each parent to find their own way of expressing themselves and communicating with their child, ”explains Patrick Ben Soussan. Also, for parents who cannot find their words, songs, nursery rhymes and other stories can be of great help. It’s another way to get in touch with your baby.
In some cases, it is the toddler who refuses to communicate. “Dialogue can be more difficult around 18 months-2 years old, the age of no. In addition, the development of the child is punctuated by phases of regressions. If the child no longer babbles as before, we must continue talking to him and not feel guilty, ”says the child psychiatrist. Another time when parents may have trouble talking to their child: after hospitalization, especially when he is in intensive care.
Mixed couples: can we speak two languages to baby?
Mixed couples are more and more numerous, and sometimes, each of the parents wishes to transmit his language and his cultural heritage to his child. As Patrick Ben Soussan points out, “even if the father and mother address their baby in their mother tongue, the latter will specialize in the processing of the sounds specific to the language common to both parents. “This is his first language bath: the child listens and is immersed in a similar speech,” explains the specialist. Nevertheless, “the brain of an infant is able to distinguish all sounds”. He can therefore grow up in a linguistic bath with two distinct sounds. Moreover, the earlier a language is introduced, the easier its assimilation will be afterwards.