A lot!
"Jessica, show us your art project!"
Tip 52 – Use your child’s name as much as possible.
Your child’s name is his or her favorite word. It will bring great pleasure when he or she hears it. The more you use your child’s name as part of your daily conversations, the stronger your relationship will become.
Here is a game you can play to practice this idea. Make a list with your child of ten action words. Write each one on a separate index card. Then take turns picking a card and doing the action. Each time your child picks a card, say your child’s name and then ask him or her to do the action. Here are some examples:
“Isabelle, jump ten times.”
“Rebecca, walk across the room.
“Joshua, do ten jumping-jacks.”
“Monique, point to your nose.”
Parenting Insights…
This is a “back-to-school” friend-making idea. Tell your child to say his or her friends’ names as much as possible. Saying a name has its own special way of showing interest. When you show interest in someone else, they usually show interest back to you.
Here’s another worthwhile way to use someone else’s name. Talk in a positive way about what your child or a friend did. Here are some examples:
* Jesse put the package down in the right spot. That made it easy for me to empty.
* Elena made the last point. That is how we won the game.
* Pedro painted this whole picture. He is an excellent artist.
Hearing your name said in a positive way makes you feel happy, proud,and appreciated. Once you hear that, you are likely to be nice, friendly,and cooperative back to the person who mentioned you.