When does your little one start listening to you?  Well, thanks to the genetic growth of TSK’s brain, those neural nets are absorbing more than you think really early!  A recent study from the University of Florida found that infants before birth could recognize word patterns spoken by others, besides their mothers!

Before the babies were born, between the 29^th and 34^th week of gestation, fetuses heard the moms recite a nursery rhyme twice a day for about a month. Then, before the babies were born, the mothers went in for further testing.  A stranger read different things to the baby, including the nursery rhyme.

The mother was listening to an instrumental classical music piece in headphones, so couldn’t tell what the stranger was saying.  The babies’ heart beats were measured as the different things were recited.  When the babies heard the same nursery rhyme that their mothers’ had recited, the heart rate was lower.

They had recognized speech patterns that were familiar…and only recited less than 60 times.

So; back to talking in front of TSK, there are several things to remember before you open your mouth;

1. Whatever you say, be prepared to hear it come back to you in a higher pitched little adorable squeaky voice…but…in the same inflection that you used, and that inflection may not be so sweet and adorable.
2. Each time TSK repeats your words, a little memory groove is deepened in that brain, so that TSK can say the same thing, faster and more disrespectful the next time…if that was what was heard originally.
3. Before you open your mouth, remember that TSK will retain, repeat and do his or her best to copy you!
4. Be sure you LIKE how your little TSK talks to you…and it starts by you talking with TSK the way you him or her to talk to others!

Give that kid a hug, G