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Baby and Toddler

I used to be a fanatic when it came to mealtimes. If something spilled, I was up that instant to clean it up. When Cheerios dropped, I was on the floor to retrieve them. Messes were simply not allowed. Over time, though, I've learned to let go, to live with spills and crumbs and dirty faces, at least for a little while. And as a result, mealtimes are more relaxing. It's a time not only for eating, but talking and laughing and sharing, too.

How can you make mealtimes work for your family? Consider these tips that can engage your family in fun and meaningful mealtime conversations that foster your baby or toddler's language and literacy development.

• Find the time.
  Mealtimes aren't just about eating. Mealtimes provide a time for families to share their ideas, their experiences, and their feelings. Finding time when the whole family can eat together is often the greatest challenge. Be sure to set aside at least a few nights a week for family mealtimes. When you cannot eat together as family, be sure to sit with your child while she eats, so you can establish mealtime as a family ritual.
• Remove distractions.
  To encourage meaningful talk, remove distractions. Turn off the TV. Turn down the radio. If possible, put the answering machine on, so you can talk to each other, and not to a friend or colleague. Also try to have everything ready on the table before you sit down so someone doesn't have to keep popping up to get the milk or the juice or the napkins. By creating a relaxing setting, you and your family will have the time to share and laugh together.
• Include everyone in the conversation.
  Family mealtime is not just a time for adult conversation. Instead, it should include everyone. By involving everyone, your baby or toddler will learn about the give and take of conversation. At the same time, you will have the opportunity to explore the world together as you teach your child the sounds, rhythm, and purpose of language, while make a loving connection.
• Take turns.
  Talk to your child and give him opportunities to talk back to you. For babies who do not yet talk, this may mean exchanging facial expressions or making "raspberry" sounds back and forth. Toddlers, on the other hand, may initiate conversation about a topic that interests them. Follow your child's lead, extending conversation about the topic your child chooses. For example, you might say, "You played in the sandbox. What did you do?" "A cake? Who is coming to the party?"
• Set an example.
  Don't worry about correcting your baby or toddler's pronunciation, grammar, or choice of words. Instead, provide a positive example by the way you speak to your child. If you use correct grammar and speech when you talk, you are doing the very thing children need to develop language.
• Tell a story.
  Babies and toddlers love to hear stories, especially ones they've heard over and over before. You can use mealtime to retell your children's favorite stories and rhymes, whether it's Over in the Meadow by Paul Galdone or Sheep in the Shop by Nancy Shaw. You can also tell stories about what it was like when your baby or toddler was really, really little or share stories about your own childhood.