When I was young, I loved watching The Charlie Brown Show. His humorous inability to conform and fit a predetermined norm always comforted me. I especially recall how he always drifted-off and daydreamed during class; never hearing a word his teacher said … until his name was called! My stomach would literally tie itself into knots as I watched Charlie Brown shocked by suddenly hearing his name being called! Of course, he couldn’t answer her question. He wasn’t listening! He’d tuned her out (or never tuned her in) long ago.

To be honest, this scene has played itself out countless times in my life. While not always humorous, I could easily lose myself within my daydreams and not hear the world around me until MY name was called. Unfortunately, not in a nice, loving and inviting manner.

As a speech pathologist, I now know that both Charlie Brown and I are more common than not. Children are brilliant at prioritizing the thoughts and sounds that enter their brains. In so doing, they can turn-off their ears to the “noise” around them to fully focus and enjoy their own thoughts.

Our ears are muscles. For persons with normal hearing abilities, the ears need to be activated for listening to occur. Your child’s name is the critical key to igniting their ears into active listening mode. Saying their name positively throughout daily activities strengthens the ear’s ability to actively listen to their environment, tune-in to language, and increase their language skills. Here are a few strategies on how to use your child’s name to increase their language skills:

1. Sing a song of love. Welcome each new morning by creating a simple, catchy song with your child’s name as either the reframe, subject, or both. Greet your child into each new morning with this special song that is purely their own. How will they now? Because their name is all over it!

2. Direct Talk. Increase conversational speech with your child by actively using their name to increase their participation in daily routines. Even if your child is unable to verbally respond, you will increase their receptive language skills throughout this process. Use your child’s name to describe activities and ask a variety of questions regarding common activities. For example, “Kaleb, this pizza is so delicious!” “Tracy, what cup would you like to drink from for breakfast? The blue cup or the pink and purple cup?” “Johnathan, please help me decide what playground to go to today?”

3. Compliments. We all love hearing wonderful things about ourselves. Have you complimented your child today? Use their name to spontaneously give them a compliment. Use their name to thank them for being your child. Use their name to tell them what beautiful eyes they have (proceed to compliment each facial feature to increase their ability to label body parts).

Positively using your child’s name throughout daily routines will not only increase their receptive and expressive language skills but will surely create a stronger parent-child bond. So, increase your use of your child’s name and observe their intrinsic motivation to use language grow.