Child Development: Helping Children with Communication Skills
Good communication skills are an important foundation for your child to build on as they grow and develop. As a parent there are many things you can do for helping your child with their communication skills.
Bing able to express ourselves and listen to others are essential skills that we use throughout our lives.
These capabilities when well-developed help us have better relationships, experience more career fulfilment and success in almost every field, and increase our opportunities in many different aspects of life.
Families as Role Models in Helping Children with Communication Skills
Babies and children model their communication on those around them, so the way members of your family communicate has a big influence on your child’s development.
Warm, responsive and gentle communication from parents and carers helps babies and children to feel safe and secure.
There are intentional steps you can take to help your child with their communication skills.
What Does Good Communication Look Like?
1. Give your baby or child your complete attention when you’re communicating and listen closely to them.
2. Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings, ask questions.
3. Respond in a kind and loving way – even when your child is expressing anger, sadness or resistance.
4. Avoid chastising a child for expressing negative emotions. Try to remain calm and show that you understand why they might feel that way.
5. Be aware of your body language, maintain eye contact, keep an open and receptive body position.
6. Watch your child’s body language and facial expressions for clues to help you better understand what they are expressing (or might be holding back).
7. Let your child finish what they are saying, even if they appear to be struggling to find a word. Give them space to express themselves.
What About Before They’ve Learned to Speak?
Babies absorb a lot of information from hearing you speak long before they have learnt the words you’re using.
So there’s no need to hold back on talking to your baby from day one (and even in the womb!).
Be Attentive: Reduce distractions when interacting with your baby and show through your eye contact and body position that you are actively ‘listening’ to them. Turn off devices that might be distracting.
Be Interesting: Babies respond really well to changes in tone of voice and exaggerated facial expressions. The more expressive you are the more engaged your child will be. Peek-a-boo anyone?
Be Interested: When you’re spending time with your baby, watch to see what captures their attention and show an interest in / expand upon the things they appear to be most interested in.
We hope these tips will help you to support your child to learn good communication skills…