Six Core Strategies to Get Your Toddler Talking Better Ep 53

Toddlers want to talk. They want to be engaged. They want to be good listeners.

They just don't know how, yet.

They learn best through their life experiences .... with you!

This episode provides 6 strategies that positively influence learning to talk.

You'll be able to apply them naturally, everyday, with your little one and build his or her verbal speech ... and understanding.

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Email: erin@HyerLearning.com

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Transcript

Erin 0:00

You want to bring their attention to you playing with them. by putting language to it. They can practice. Sorting out the background from the foreground and that's key, that's that practice that they need each and every day. So by the time that they're five or seven that they have good auditory attention. And if they're in a noisy environment or a busy classroom, they can tune all of that out because they've had years and years of practice of honing in to what am I doing now? I can look over and get back on task. But that starts at the very, very beginning. And it starts with you. Hello, and welcome to Talking Toddlers, where I share more than just tips and tricks on how to reduce tantrums or build your toddler's vocabulary. We're going to cover all of that, but here, our goal is to develop clarity. Because in this modern world, it's truly overwhelming. This podcast is about empowering moms to know the difference between fact and fiction, to never give up, to tap into everyday activities so your child stays on track. He's not falling behind. He's thriving through your guidance. We know that true learning starts at home. So let's get started. hello, and welcome back to talking toddlers. I'm Erin Hyer, your host, and I'm welcoming new and returning listeners. So I appreciate your time. And your interest in really honing your skills as a parent to support your one two. And three-year-old. So this episode, I'm going to share a specific strategies that speech and language therapists have kind of honed over the last, whatever five, six decades. Because we study what typical or normal, healthy speech and language development is all about. We know what is typical or what is expected? As the child. Interacts with his or her environment, which includes you and how to support or entice them. To use verbal communication. Once their nonverbal communication is really solid. And I've talked here before about those 16 gestures before 16 months and that nonverbal. Communication is really laying that foundation in those first 12, 13, 14, 16 months. So, these strategies that I'm going to walk through. These six strategies are really looking at how you can use every day interactions, everyday activities that you have to do with your child. Feed him, dress him. Bathe her. Take her in and out of your daily life. Right. But how can you. Use techniques that, you know, will support and encourage versus shut them down or push them away or disengage with them. And we all do this from time to time, whether we're parents or therapists or teachers. We forget how to be in the moment. And when I talk about these strategies, I don't want you to think about it 24 7. It is something, an art that you will develop over time. And the first step is really becoming more aware of. What are you doing now? What is your communication style? Your place style, and how are you? Using your verbal and non-verbal skills to help pull them in and teach them practice with them. What this whole dyad of communication is all about. Okay. So before I really dive into the specifics I want to share my deep appreciation for all of you, because we have just crossed our first year anniversary, 52 episodes. And I'm really excited. To share with you what's down the pike, right? And you know, there's lots of new learnings, so that's a Testament to neuroplasticity for sure. But most importantly, I believe I'm getting better and better at condensing the science and bringing. The more poignant details with some of the backstory, because I do think it's really important that parents. And any caregiver, whether you're a preschool teacher or grandparent. The more we understand the why, the more we understand how the human body works naturally, the way that we're designed to work, the better we can. Influence our environments and our lifestyle choices so that our children really thrive and that our children are. Blossoming into the best version of themselves. And I think that that's key. And the more feedback I get from all of you, the better I can serve you. So I just want to take a quick second here and ask if you haven't had a chance to write a review, please do that. Or DM me, email me, give me specific information or questions that you have that you would like me to cover. And I would love to do that. So the reason I think I've shared, but I will continue to explore with you is that. I wanted to reach a broader audience. I wanted to reach the new moms and dads and grandparents of a, a brand new baby, a one, two or three year old, because it reminds me of that old parable when there was a beautiful village next to a stream. And over time, they kept finding babies and young children lost. UN in the undercurrent. Right? And so they kept developing these strategies of how to rescue them and how to save them and keep them safe and dry and not drown. And the parable continues to go on to say that. They did this for years and they saved hundreds, if not thousands of children over time. And then one day, one of the villagers decided to walk upstream. Because she questioned. Why are we working so hard down here, just barely holding on and just barely protecting them from drowning, let alone pulling them out of the water to safety and growth and prosperity. Right. Let's go upstream. Let's figure out why these kids keep falling off the cliff. In the first place. And that's my goal here is to bring the conversation out to the general population. So that we discuss what I've witnessed in the last three and a half decades as a private practitioner. And what we can do to mitigate that, to avoid, or really make sure that our kids, our new, most precious babies and toddlers. I can stay on track and do the best they can. With your guidance, right. And that you're the first teacher, you're their first influencer. And that's, that's key here. So on that note I just thank you for this first year. I know I'm learning on the job like you as parents, but the more we engage and share, what's working, what's not working. The more I can help you. And it, at this time, we are also I'm actually This first year of my podcast has only been audio. And so as I'm recording these last few episodes, I'm also videotaping them and we'll launch my YouTube channel. So under the same name, talking toddlers. So please If you're, if you're interested in watching and studying more closely and not just auditory or help me spread the word with friends. Both the auditory and the visual videos will continue. And I'm really, really excited because I have some great plans for the rest of 2023 and onto 2024. So on that note. Today's episode is about strategies that you can use with every day engagement of your little one. And really help. Them understand that they're an active participant, that it, that communication and learning and self-regulation and motor skills, all of those big, huge milestones that we talk about over and over again. Don't just happen that they have to be influenced. And that they need prompts to understand and models and guidance, and that that's your responsibility. And that's what I'm here to help. So. When we talk about these six strategies that us speech therapists use. Some of the, the better teachers are at least conscious of using them. I want you to. All consider that many of them are just common sense. And that's what I mean, many of us do it naturally, but I always want to bring it to the forefront so you know why you're doing it and what. It's helping and to do more or less, or to be more precise with it. And when I first started, you know, sharing on social media, maybe, you know, two, two and a half years ago. I always talked about the three PS that parents. If you can be present. Be purposeful with your engagement. And direction. And then be playful because that's how kids learn best. That's when their parasympathetic system is calm and relaxed and they're open to learning. They're open to practicing. With you under your guidance. So. Don't think of this as 24 7, try to take the strategies. And make them your own. I make them. some of you are already chatty Cathy. Some of you don't really like, Talking to a one-year-old or a two year old that doesn't really hold up their end of the conversation yet. And some of you just can do it and want to do it, but feel uncomfortable. And I get all of that. The whole idea is for you. To pull out. Several of these. On occasion and to be purposeful with them. And when I say on occasion, like, Every day, but you don't have to do all of them all of the time. You'll find your rhythm, your ebb and flow in your parenting style. The key is to be thoughtful. So for today's episode, we're going to talk about the six strategies. Some of them you might look at and say, huh, that's pretty common sense. I'm already doing that. But as I often say here, it's important that we bring it to the forefront. It's important that you understand why you're doing it and how. It is serving your toddler the best, right. keep reminding yourself that you're providing opportunities for your child to speak in a very natural, low pressure. Every day, current event, right? You're not sitting down and drilling colors. You're not sitting down with flashcards, but yet you're taking every day. Opportunities when you're eating or bathing or walking outside or going grocery shopping or dusting or. You know, sorting. The laundry, the umpteen things that you do together as a family, that you can pull them in and use it as a language opportunity. So you'll find your rhythm, your ebb and flow. Keep that in mind. So the first one is really self-talk and it's just like, it sounds that we often, as parents will do this naturally for those first several months. And then we kind of. Drop it off. Write the novelties perhaps. Gone away and you're S you're trying to find this new rhythm in your life, whether this is your brand new first baby, or maybe you already have a toddler. But. It's important that we talk about what we are doing, because their attention is really on us. And they've spent so much time, so close to us that we're. As the mama. We're really their center of the universe. And so we talk about what we're doing. And how we're feeling. And that will help them code their language, their vocabulary, and Putting it into this three dimensional life that they're experiencing. And it's important that we model how we communicate with our thoughts. And our feelings and, and again, giving them that framework. So they're experiencing it through us. This is how human communication. Is developed the. It really is not that they just wake up one day and start talking or that it's all that automatic, we're wired for human language. We're wired for auditory perception of the human voice, but we have. To experience it. We have to do it right. And so. It's really important that first stage for us to show them what we're doing. Oh, I'm folding the clothes or, oh, Hmm. I wonder what we're going to have for lunch today, and you really are showing them how your brain is working, how you're using your speech, your thought. In everyday activities. For example. You draw their attention to say you smell something right. There's roast in the oven or you're baking cookies, or you walk by a shop and you smell something delicious cooking. Ooh, I smell something. Do you smell that you bringing their attention? And bringing them. Aware or helping them become aware of oh yeah. Okay. Smell. Air change. You're attaching this cognitive association. Sometimes it's bad. You can go, oh, P U that's a skunk or that garbage stinks. Or, you know, there could be, this flower is beautiful. Smell the rose honey, smell the rose. Because again, they don't know. But you're beginning to attach language to it. With action. And how it feels, right. How it smells, one of your sensory perceptions. Maybe there's a problem. Maybe you've lost something you're looking for your car keys and you say. Hmm. I wonder where my keys are. We have to go to the store. And let me think. The last time I used them. I brought in the groceries, so let me, look in the kitchen. Cause that's where we keep our groceries. And you're thinking out loud, you don't have to inundate them with each and every sophisticated thought, but you help them. When they're engaged with you. To understand what you're, what you're doing and how you're feeling about it. Right. And so, You're the actor. You're the model. And they're Starting to prune and sort away what human speech, what English means and how we use it in real life in real time. Right. And so you can also bring attention when you're playing together of course, or doing any kind of activity, but. When you're playing, you can narrate what you're doing. Don't just play and giggle and laugh. And that is great. But especially when you're one-on-one with them. And you, you know, you're playing with the Dolly and you say, ah, Oh, it's so hot. That Dolly is so hot. She wants to go swimming. Ah, Dolly, do you want to go swimming? And she goes diving in the pool. My, my Dolly is so hot. She goes diving in the pool. And if you acted out and talk to the Dolly or have the Dolly talk to you. That brings their awareness and their interest and their, their curiosity. Right? Like what the heck is mom talking about? I hear a bunch of sounds, but. And you're bringing it Dolly hot. Swimming. Oh, okay. I get that. I've gone to, you know, the local pool or my neighbor's pool, or I played in the hose. I get that. I can put those. I can associate that. Right. And you, but you bring it down to their level so they can really code it. And we have to do this every day. We really do. Now with every single activity that you do, but find time. When, whether it's playing or whether you're sharing a meal together, or whether, you know, it is so hot and you're just swimming outside and you just hang in in cool water, whatever it is. Give them though those three minutes, five minutes, 10 minutes, where it's just you and your child. And you really self-talking through it and, and you can do this more naturally, too, like, oh, we're going to go to the store. Let's see, we need my keys. And my. Hmm, what goes on our feet? What goes on our feet. our shoes, where's our shoes. Right? And you're just snatching these opportunities to help them attend to you. Listen, code the language, follow what you're doing. Follow your emotions. Get in rhythm with you. As a communication partner, right. Okay. The next strategy would be parallel talk. And again, some of these things you've heard before, perhaps some of them. You've you've used, but I want to bring it to the forefront. I want to help you really. Be skilled at this whole communication thing and this whole early child development. So parallel talk is very similar to self-talk. But now yours talking about what your child is doing. And so in the beginning, in those first six months, eight months, 10 months, The attention was. About you, what you're doing now, they have the motor skills, right? They've been crawling for a few months. They've been. Sampling this wonderful thing called food. They've been, you know, pulling to a stand and, and cruising in the room. The there world is getting bigger. And now we're going to talk about them more often or talk about us together and. Help them identify their actions and their feelings, right. With words. And you can do it when you're playing. Of course, that's obvious. Cooking eating, like I said, cleaning, getting dressed, shopping, going about the errands, walking to the mailbox, folding the paper bags, whatever it is. That your child is involved in with you that we're helping them. So he's coding inside is. His own head when he's playing with those toys or when he's getting muddy outside, or when he's playing around with the doggy. Right. And that your. Giving them the speech. Would you are those. The speech sounds right. The physical part of it. They're drawing attention to your mouth. And so they're going okay. What I hear. And what I see in her mouth and what we're doing. I'm putting it together. Right. And the whole brain is working. So. I just want to always caution. I'm not suggesting that you do this 24 7. I am suggesting that you do it when they're. They're awake and present and engaged and relaxed and receptive. Ben fed been changed. Or during those, those moments too. Oh, you're getting that. I smell that stinky diaper P you poopy. Good bye poopy. Right. And you're bringing their awareness that everybody poops that's okay. Let's clean it all up, but that does smell. Doesn't it. Right. So you're bringing their world into them and helping them understand. And that's really, really important. And I think in this modern day, Many of us. No matter what kind of background you come into in, in this beautiful role of motherhood or parenthood. And this modern world is distracting. This modern world is overwhelming. This modern world can suck the light life out of you. Any given moment. And it's really important that we, that we remember how much can I go back to the basics? How much can I be present, purposeful, and playful. Anytime I interact with my, with my baby and toddler. Because I'm helping them understand and then I'm helping them engage. Right. So some examples of how to make it natural would be say, you're playing. With cars or trucks or he is, and you're just kind of hanging out next to them, maybe sorting mail or, you know whatever you do next to your little one. But you, you notice that because they're making noise, you say, oh wow, you crashed that car. Boom. The yellow car hit the red truck. They crashed. And you just bring language to. The moment. And they're coding it right. Or say you're outside. And you're playing with a ball. You're trying to roll the ball or make soft catches. And you say, oh dear, I missed the ball. I dropped the ball. Let me go get it. Here. It's your turn. Ready? PSAT. And all of that anticipation really, really helps. Hone their auditory awareness and their engagement. And that's key when we're really helping them. We're helping them with differentiated auditory perception. Right? So you're outside, it's noisy. There's all kinds of distractions, auditory, visual, tactal. You want to bring their attention to you playing with them. And by putting language to it. They can practice. Sorting out the background from the foreground and that's key, that's that practice that they need each and every day. So by the time that they're five or seven or eight or 10, that they have good auditory attention. And if they're in a noisy environment or a busy classroom, they can tune all of that out because they've had years and years of practice of honing in to what am I doing now? And let me. You know, disengage, right. I can look over and get back on task. But that starts at the very, very beginning. And it starts with you. Okay. Another example, if you're cooking or you're fixing, you know, a meal together and say you're fixing breakfast together and you've helped them crack the eggs and you say, oh, look at that egg. That egg yolk is so orange. It's so orange and slimy. Let's touch. Oh. Ooh. me. And you're giving language to what it looks like and what it feels like. All right. Eggs. Don't really smell until you start cooking them. But. You're attaching and helping them, because then they can think about that the next time they do it right. Or maybe they can say, oh, yolk, yolk, orange yolk. And you say, yes, that's the yolk. And when we cook it up, then we'll have the egg white. See when we cook it, it turns white. And you helping them in a very natural. Peaceful or relaxed state, right? All right. next strategy, number three would be modeling. And that is when You repeat what your toddler says, and that's really important. There's lots of modeling going on, right. But especially when you're in those one-to-one opportunities. And it's just you and him, or maybe you have another child. Or your your partner and your child together. But, you know, when you're playing. A purposeful plane, right? There's going to be plenty of time where they're exploring their toys. And I do have a future episode talking about how to rotate toys and how to select appropriate toys for their age, for those first three years. But when you're playing together and you're trying to pull the language out and give them some guidance through this. Then you're going to, if they make a sound or they try to articulate something like top, top for truck, you say yes. That's a blue truck. Turlock goes. Room. Room. Whatever the context is, but that idea is when they speak, then you give them that adult model and they're constantly working toward a better and better production or better and better language structure. It's, they're not again. Yes. Every once in a while you find a child who, you know, kind of just masters talking right away, and they're very clear as bell, but for the most part, most kids. Those first couple of years. Really need a lot of practice, right. And so. The other thing that research shows us is that. If you imitate them. They are more likely to imitate you again. And the more opportunity that they get to hone those skills and practice, practice, practice, the better they'll become as talkers language, processors, thinkers, problem solvers. Social friends, right. It all kind of weaves together. But there's also in that diet. There's a lot of. Positive feedback. If you're confirming what they've said, right. And so there. They're feeling like, oh yeah. Okay. I'm on the right track. I did that. Right, right. There's a little dopamine hit. I spoke and she responded. She repeated that's good. Right? They're also then having that practice of that turn-taking that conversation. Isn't just a one and done conversations, go back and forth that conversational flow. Right. But always keep in mind that we have this adult model right. For the speech and the articulation sounds, but also the language structure. And so there's. Is going to be simplified and developed over time and with each and every practice is going to, you know, slowly but surely get to that adult model. And that's usually around three years of age, right? That there were about 85% intelligible to someone who is not familiar with them. So you might be able to understand a hundred percent. But what about, you know, uncle Joe who sees him two or three times a year? So that's the gauge. That's what we would use. So now number four would be expansion. So we've used, self-talk where we talk about what we're doing. We've used parallel talk where we talk about what they're doing and how they're feeling. And then we've used modeling where they try something. We, we reinforce it and they imitate us back. So there's a lot of modeling and shaping going on there. And then there's expansion. When they do speak, they're using a handful of words, maybe it's 20 words or 50 words, and they're starting to put two words together. Then you take what they've done and you expand upon it. You show them how to build it. And so if they say truck, you say, yeah, that's a big yellow truck. It's very big. Look at it has 1, 2, 3, and you count the wheels, right? You expand upon it. Very simply though, you don't talk about like how trucks are made or that they need gasoline or that. You know, what they deliver or any of that. But. You take their one or two word utterance, their statement, and then you build one or two more characteristics upon that. Keep it simple in the beginning. Right? And if they, say a phrase that is a little bit immature or incorrect, like they say, truck broke you say yes. The truck is broken. All poor truck. The truck is broken. And so you give them that is verb or is adjective, right? And you, oh, you help them. Hone what the grammatical structures are and that, and that's, that's a skill that they learn over time. but they do need to hear it. And especially in real time. As you're playing or engaging with them. Here's some real life examples. So if your child says. Dog barks, like maybe the next door neighbor or your own dog, dog barks, dog barks. And you say, yes, the dog is barking loudly, right? Or the dog is barking or the dog barks loudly. Those kinds of mild but important expansions, right? And these, these strategies are important in those first two, two and a half years. By the time they get 30 months or beyond. Then. Your hopefully pushing more than just single words, right. That they're trying longer phrases, but their, their grammatical structure isn't on par with what mature adult speeches. And so you're helping them shape that part. And that's what this example fits to where. If you say you're playing with a plane and he says, you know, plane fly, plane fly, and you say, yes, the plane flies. Up. In the sky, the plane is flying, whatever grammatical structure you see fit for that context. You help them so they understand. Oh, okay. That's how we do it in English. Right. And if your child is at the single word level and you can expand on that too. if they say they're eating strawberries or something and he's, and he says, eat. Eat. And you say, yes, you eat the berries. You are. the berries again, you're helping them as elongated and it might sound foolish in the beginning. I get it. But when they use one or two word phrases, they're really trying to engage with us. They're really trying to get us to communicate with them. Notice them. Pull you in with them. That's why they're doing. They're saying, Hey look, look at me, come pay attention. I'm eating and I'm talking and I'm thinking I'm doing great mom. And so you want to reinforce that. Hey there, Mom. I just wanted to jump in and ask a big favor. If you're gaining benefit from these episodes, please consider leaving me a review. It's the only way I can expand my reach and find moms and dads and grandparents just like yourself. I'd be so grateful. I'll leave a link down below in the description to save you an extra step. So thanks in advance. Let's get back to today's episode.

35:07

Okay. The next section would be songs and songs are just a playful way to help them understand what the next thing is, or to help them understand. What to expect. And I know a lot of preschools nowadays. I'd say maybe the last. You know, 15, 20 years. More and more songs have, have. been incorporated. I do think that with all honesty and I've been in many, many, many preschool classrooms, I do think kids after a little while kind of tune it out because I don't think the teachers are always in it. And so. Things just become robotic. And I think songs are helpful because. They're different. It's a change of pace. In the moment. Right? So say for example, you have to clean up and get ready for dinner. And you do the infamous cleanup song. And I think everybody has a different little twist to it, but. You know, they're resisting, right? They're still playing. They're maybe ignoring you. And you're just like, it's time to clean up now, clean up now, clean up now. And they'll pay attention to that. Right. And you're making it light hearted. And after a couple of verses. They'll get into the group. Right. And you make it nonchalant and they, they associate all okay. I get this song. She's doing it. I'm going to do it with her. Right. It's really helps them. Understand. And prepare for the next task, right? So you could do it for cleanup. You can do it for bath time. You know, there's a bath song that goes to happy birthday, right? Like So you can do it. For bath time, wake up. You know, make the bed, get dressed. If you put a little tune to it, even if you make up. The rhythm and the lyrics, and it's a little bit different each time. It helps your toddler, your two-year-old, your three-year-old. To really. Understand what that transition or the expectation is there's something kind of magical with music, but it also helps them know, oh, okay. We're done with this activity and we're moving on because otherwise they're there, you know, waking day is just. It just kind of rolls into one big snowball. Right. And, but if you can wrap some. Repetitive songs. But if you can wrap some repetitive songs into the tasks, then they're starting to structure their day. Right? That we get up. We have breakfast, we get dressed. We get ready for our day, then, you know, And, and you do this each and every day, then they're beginning to understand how time works right. And how his schedule works. So number six is to follow your child's lead. And that phrase gets, I think, over used and which often happens, especially in my industry, I think. We over-generalize it. And then teachers over generalize it and then it bleeds back into the family unit and they over-generalize it. But. Some people think that taking your child's lead means that they're in the lead. Right or that. Let's just do whatever they want. They don't want to go. Okay. You. I'll give you 10 more minutes. Or you don't want to, you know, get ready for bath that's okay. you're not ready yet. And that's not necessarily what that phrase means. What that phrase means is that. If you're. Wanting to work with them or be with them or, engage with them. Then do something that is interesting to them. then they'll be engaged back. Right? We all do things that are interesting to us. We all respond or perk up when we're doing something that's interesting to us. here's a good example. So if you're playing with them, And they're playing with the trucks. And you're like, okay. You know, I have 10 minutes. Let's just chill and, and play together. Don't change it into let's let's dress up because maybe you don't, you don't feel like playing with the trucks right now. Let's go dress up. Let's let's go. Let's go play whatever storekeeper. You're changing them and they're already into the trucks. And so you can transition to something. But first go to where they are, right. And play with the trucks with them. And get them engaged. And then maybe drive the truck and say, oh, we have to go to the grocery store, you know? And so you can then transition to something else, but the first. The first stage or first step. Is to follow their lead to help to go where they are. And pull them into a conversational flow. And then expand on that. Right. and sometimes it's just, watching them for a while. And then you listened to maybe something they say and pull that out. Like he's like. Oh, no, the truck fell off the cliff. Maybe he's talking to himself. And so then you can go and join them based on what he's doing. Right. But be willing to watch them from a distance and give them a little creative flow. And then you join them. always keep in mind that simplicity is best, right. And that if he is drawing your attention to something, then comment on it. Like say you're walking down the street and he points to something in the store when you, and you say, yeah. Wow. Look at that big Teddy bear in the window. And so. Put language to whatever he's focusing on. And be willing to get to his level and to acknowledge what he's trying to communicate. Even if it's hard to understand him sometime. But. You can pretend say he's pointing to something in the window and you say, Oh, I see the choo choo train. You see that too, to train? Is that what you're looking at? And so it's important that you're always bringing it down to his level and then slowly but surely helping him expand upon that. I hope. I think that makes sense. So the idea here is to use every day activities. With some finesse, right. With some kind of careful art behind it that you're just not going about your day or you're just not. You know, he's. An extra thing on your hip That you have to manage. And there's going to be days like that. I assure you, and there are going to be times where you are rushed and you don't have time, but keep in mind. That your son or daughter will develop independence and develop cooperation and expand his. Family participation if you give them this foundation. Right? And that's the key that if you want a child who is less likely to melt down every time you have to transition or is understanding what comes next after we play for 20 minutes in the afternoon, then we're going to get ready for dinner. That, that routine makes sense to him. Because you've walked him through that. And encouraged his understanding through language and actions and that's key. And so when we're looking at our goal for that three, four five-year-old to really. Being engaged family members, not always perfect mind you. That's not what I'm suggesting, but most days they're getting what the rhythm is because you've helped them understand through experience and language. And that's the key. So. I always go back to those three PS, right. To be present. To be purposeful in your engagement and to be playful. And the more you make it like hearted. The more relaxed they're going to be an open to receiving. your, your strategies, right? your self-talk, your modeling, your expansion. And really helping them. Then use their own speech and language. to expand. And become an active member, right. And I know. A lot of this seems logical and you're probably going, okay, Aaron, I've heard this, I've heard this, but. In this modern day, I assure you that the vast majority of parents. I forget, right. And so my, Wish is that. We don't make these first three years, first, five years where that we don't over-complicate it right. That they don't need more toys to just get overwhelmed with or bored with. They need engagement with you. They need to learn how to be an active family member. Right. And we do that by bringing them in to our everyday stuff. So, thanks again for your time. I really appreciate it. And.

Erin 45:24

I hope you're gaining some good insight into these techniques, these strategies and these examples. I will continue to bring more specific examples to every day activities that you can use at home as well as the science behind it, the biology, the human nature of how we build human communication, because that's what makes us different from all the other animals, Is that we're building this. Remarkable neocortex, right? These brain lobes that are learning how to communicate and talk with one another and it's through experience through engagement with you. So self-talk parallel talk. Modeling expansion. Songs or rhythm to transitions. And then follow your child's lead. So remember. Be patient with yourself. Be patient with your toddler. You're both learning on the job and it's not always as clear as we read in the books, right? That life is messy. Kids are messy. Parenting is messy. So some of this is intuitive. I get that. But in this modern day, the nuances that really will help move that needle. That's not so intuitive, right? Because there are too many distractions. No, one's really there to guide you like extended family moms or aunts. women, friends that you're all kind of learning on the job together. And my goal, my hope is really to help you weed through some of the noise and keep it simple. Keep it honest. Keep it real. But keep it human. Keep it natural. And then you'll see your child just thrive. And that's exciting. So until next week, thanks a bunch. Take care.