But kids have this incredible ability to infer things, to figure out how somebody is using a word from the immediate context. You can talk about things in a way that helps them get a sense of the word without directly giving a definition. The magic is that our culture has considered it important for a really long time. The kind of conversations I'm talking about can take place in other settings, such as carpool or on Saturday evenings when parents turn off the television set. She warns, however, that parents should not dominate the conversation.
Children can learn from direct participation.
In order to be effective, parents ideally should plan such situations at least two or three times a week in order to engage in extended conversation with their children. This will help children become familiar with the scenario, Beals said. Beals views family dinner conversation in a cultural context. One of the most powerful things that mealtime does is pass on a family's culture to children. That's why we think it's so important.