Big Talk!

The other day I was at the grocery store with my two year old. We wandered around a bit before we grabbed the few items we needed and walked to the checkout. When we got to the checkout line, a woman approached me and said, "Wow you really use big words for your kid and he understands them! How old is he?" My answer shocked her. I know I don't remember all the words I said in that store, but these are words I know I said: independently, individual, aborted, rapidly, swiftly, diversion, and incognito. No, I wasn't talking to anyone else in the store, just my 2 year old.

One big misconception about teaching your kids, is that you need to talk in small, simple words. Today, I want you to stop talking down to your kid. Before your kid reads, what teaches them vocabulary? Your speech! It doesn't matter the size of the word or how many letters the word has, as long as you use it and teach them what the word means just like any other word, they will learn it just as easily.

Your child didn't know what a cow was until you taught them, now think about the word elephant. Larger word and more letters. Did you think that was too big of a word to teach them? I'll keep going...dinosaur, rhinoceros, triceratops, and stegosaurus are super common words small kids may learn WAY before they might even master their ABC's.

If a kid is seeing the word for the first time and trying to read it, yes it can be overwhelming at that size. What if they knew the word before they read it? Much easier, huh? Think about what big words you learned before reading it? Inconceivable (Princess Bride), supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Mary Poppins), and I could go on for a while about times in your life from movies or experiences that you may have learned a larger word way before you could read it.

When I speak to my kids, I use multiple or different adjectives and adverbs when I can. I also prefer to use more technical terms when appropriate and explain the words using context clues and by also explaining the word if needed.

For example:

Instead of, "all by yourself" use independently.

Sweetie, you don't need me to put your cup in the sink, you are a big kid that can do that independently, so you can do it by yourself.

We need to get this done immediately, swiftly, rapidly, briskly, quickly, like right away!

Can you describe, explain or tell me about what did today?

After using the explanation for a few times, you can easily drop the clues and just use the word on its own, just like any other word.

Last week, my 4 year old asked me, on the way to school, why do leaves change color? As a science teacher I squealed with glee on the inside with anticipation. Now, I could've went the most bare minimum explanation to get a general point across to satisfy an answer...but that's not what I do. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, photosynthesis, and more were used in my explanation. As I recommended above, I explained the word as I said it, "...Chlorophyll, which is a green pigment in the leaves, this gives the leaves and other plants their green color. That pigment helps trees make oxygen through a process called photosynthesis, which allows the tree to take in carbon dioxide, the stuff we breathe out, into wonderful oxygen that we breathe in our lungs...."

Those who haven't met my son, even though he is 4, that is a perfect level of explanation for him. I work with him, so I know what level he can process, and if he is having trouble, he knows he can always ask for more information by following up with more questions. Continue to answer their questions, and get excited about the follow through. I can take my kid outside to do a little experiment, watch a special video, or play an interactive game to reinforce what my child asked. Think about all the things your kid can absorb with that experience!

What new words will you try with your kid today? I encourage you to work with your child so they can be more autonomous, and to increase their comprehension so they can be little precocious children.