Evening star., 1938-04-28
Do Not Talk
Baby Talk
Child
Speak Your Words
Clearly So That
He May Learn.
Ry ANGELO PATRI.

CHILDREN learn by imitation. and
that is why mother should know
that her every action becomes a les
son to the watching, listening, eager
child. She is the child's first teacher.
and the most important Her power
is great. What she would have the
child become in manners, in conduct.
In attitudes. in taste, she must be.
The child's speech is tremendously
important. BY it people Judge his
character. They classify him accord
ing to the quality of his speech. They
listen to him when his tones are
pleasant to listen to- They turn from
him when they are unpleasant. A
child's speech is passport to social
living. Mother should make sure it
is the kind of passport that car
ries her child to pleasant places.
Speech. of course. is to great de-
gree matter of imitation If mother
uses correct. clear. simple speech her
child will talk that way, for speech
is catching. So, talk to the baby as
you would to your most honored
friend. Be courteous. Speak cheer
fully. Speak gently. Never raise your
voice. The louder you shout the deafer
he will be. He hears best when you
speak most gently. Use simple words
Use the right names for things. Don't
teach child to call his breakfast
"brekkie." Use the right word
breakfast. All baby talk is out.
The child will not be able to say
the words accurately in the beginning
But don't correct him. Just say the
right word clearly and let it 20 at
that. Do not drill child in right
speech. That will make him afraid
to talk at all. 1t may bring on stam-
mering Let the baby alone Accept
his effort, praise 1t; listen carefully
and try to understand his first efforts
at telling you something. Your lis
tening gives him confidence, and
that's what he needs most.
II the child names an animal by
the sound it makes, accept that name
"BoW-woW." ''choo-choo" are baby
words. They are right as far as they
go. Recognize the dog and the train
as the baby names them. And then
say to him: What does the dog say?"
And then, Who says bow wow?"
Soon the child will say dog" when
he means dog, and train" when he
means train, and that's as it ought to
be.
One of the best ways to teach =
baby language is to sing to him. Sing
lovely lullabies. A baby hears before
he understands. He hears you, feels
you. and remembers even though he
cannot understand. Sing lovely songs
to him. Say a child's prayer over
his crib. Your child will hear and
remember and be helped by it. Don't
omit the nursery rhymes. Say them
to the baby as you bathe and dress
and play with him. Select the ones
that have marked rhythm and much
repetition, like ITO market. to market,
to buy fat pig" or "Old Mother
Hubbard" or Simple Simon met a
pie-man," or Little Jack Horner" !"
The Mother Goose rhymes will serve
the baby well. They are his intro
duction to literature. They contain
his first lessons in speech, and they
are full of fun, of rhythm, Of action.
Say the rhymes over and over. be-
ginning with "Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-
cake" and you will help the baby to
talk easily and well.
Speech is the child's passport to
life. Mother is the child's pattern
and his first teacher.
Copyright, 193s0