10 Ways to Talk to Your Baby
How you talk to your baby will have a big impact on his language development and even affect his IQ. We'll help you speak to him the right way.

Look for Opportunities to Talk
Whenever your child gazes at you or at an object, gestures, or makes cooing sounds, consider that your invitation to start a conversation. So if your baby's watching you prepare her bottle, say something like, "I see you looking at me. Are you wondering what I'm doing? I'm getting your bottle ready. I thought you might be hungry."

Say it, Then Say it Again
It might be boring for you, but repetition is fascinating to your baby. Hearing the same word a few times in a row actually reinforces the neural pathways that link sound and meaning in your child's brain. Repetition also gives him the chance to search his memory for the concept you're talking about and eventually confirm it in his mind. By the time your child is 1, he'll know most of his necessary speech sounds, but he won't understand when to use them. Repetition is the key to helping him master this task.

Follow the Leader
Research has identified two types of parents. The "facilitative" ones allow their kids to lead their conversations and activities. Parents with a "directive" style, on the other hand, choose the toys to play with and subjects to talk about. Turns out that facilitative parents are much better able to help their child's language development.

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