There is a reason as to why reading to the baby in the womb is advised by doctors; because the child not only hears those words but also becomes familiar with the patterns of its mother’s voice . As a result post birth, the child immediately relates to its mother’s voice. Understanding exact meaning of words takes time. But the child usually learns to distinguish tones at a very young age.
Tracking the developmental milestone:
Tuning in to emotions- in the first month post birth, babies are very much in tune with the emotions of their parents, especially the mother. They can understand how their parents are feeling by judging them from little giveaways like a loving stare, a firm mouth or a sparkle in the eye. The child has a shorter attention span at this time and cannot remember every emotion it witnesses. With time, the sense of perception and memory both become strong.
Tuning in to the environment- during the 2nd-3rd months of their life, the priority of the child is to watch everything with fascination around them. They smile and grin more often and also gurgle in order to communicate their happiness.Tuning in to the parent- when the child reaches the stage of 4-7 months, they tune in completely to their parent’s voice. They will learn to recognize what their parents are asking them to do from the pattern of the voices. They will also learn to recognize between familiar people and strangers.
Tuning in to words- by the time the child is 8-9 months old, they will learn to recognize simple words and respond to them. When the parents shake their head and say “no”, the child understands that and refrains from what they were about to do.
A vocabulary of their own- by the time the child is over 1 year , they can understand simple sentences and would be able to name several objects. But at the same time they cannot say all the words ,but will surely understand the meaning. By the 2nd year, the child learns to exert their independence and also starts understanding little concepts like that of dimension and space. They will be able to play with building blocks or puzzles. The child also may learn the basics of toilet training.
A good understanding- by the time the child is 3 years old, understanding words and responding to them will become like second nature. They rapidly increase their vocabulary. Apart from that, they also realize other basic concepts like telling time, cleaning house, shopping etc. during this time the foundations of love, good behavior, kindness and trust are also understood.
Parent’s role:
Reading to the child develops its vocabulary skills whereas playing or talking with the child develops its motor skills and sense of communication. At this time a child learns the most from its parents so they should make sure to set a good example.If the child shows marked delays in understanding simple words and directions a doctor should be consulted.
