• Self-Talk is an incredibly easy strategy in which you, any time you are in your child’s presence, simply talk about what you are doing, why you are doing it, what you might do next (and why), and what you’re thinking as you go about your normal routine
  • By doing this, you are providing your child with the chance to overhear and/or over-see a wealth of vocabulary, to learn about connections between actions and reasons, and to consider other people’s points of view.
  • Research shows that children who know a larger variety of words tend to do better with the social skills and thinking skills that will help them to succeed in school.
  • It might feel unusual to be “talking to yourself,” like this – especially if nobody else is there to hear you, except for your child. Yet, it’s incredibly powerful – a terrific way for your child to learn new words and ideas.
  • Here’s a sample:“Let’s have a snack. Are you hungry? It’s not time for dinner yet, but I feel hungry. I’m going to look in the refrigerator for something to eat. Boy, it’s cold in this refrigerator! Hmmm...what do we want? Do we want milk and apples? Or, maybe we’d like to have some carrots and celery? Let’s have milk and apples.”

Tip #4: The Bottom Line:
Consider this tip to be permission to talk to yourself!  It benefits your child and is easy to do.  It takes no extra time to “say what you do” than it takes to do it without saying it! The benefits will surprise you!