Looking to raise a confident little talker but not sure where to start? You don't have to overthink it. According to science, your baby's brain is primed to join in on conversation from the moment they're born.
And there's plenty you can do to help boost that language development on a daily basis. Avoid the "goo goo ga ga" baby talk, for one – use real words to avoid confusion. And pause to wait for a response when you talk to them, even if it's a coo. Cartoonist Navied Mahdavian illustrates advice from Roger Harrison, a child psychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Jessica Rolph, a mom of three and the CEO of the early childhood development toy company Lovevery; and Amelia Bachleda, director of outreach and education at the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.
Navied Mahdavian for NPR
Navied Mahdavian is a New Yorker cartoonist and the author of the graphic memoir This Country: Searching for Home in (Very) Rural America. More comics journalism from Life Kit Still cringing about that awkward moment? Here's what to do about it. Experts demystify the science of awkwardness — and explain how to reduce the emotional intensity of mortifying flashbacks (like that one time you called your teacher "Mommy").
