Relational problems, like everything else in life, are best when they are dealt with at an early age. The earlier a child feels cared for and learns how to interact with others, the easier it will be for that child to succeed in life. New research highlighted in the New York Times shows the importance of talking to a children beforethey turn three.
“The disparity was staggering. Children whose families were on welfare heard about 600 words per hour. Working-class children heard 1,200 words per hour, and children from professional families heard 2,100 words. By age 3, a poor child would have heard 30 million fewer words in his home environment than a child from a professional family. And the disparity mattered: the greater the number of words children heard from their parents or caregivers before they were 3, the higher their IQ and the better they did in school. TV talk not only didn’t help, it was detrimental.”
In their first relationship in life children learn skills that will guide them through the rest of their lives. Children learn how to express their emotions, take another’s perspective, and communicate effectively.
