Parent Forward By Bonnie J. Toomey

Lollapalooza is a wonderful word, and when kids hear it they want to try to say it too. And they do! It means "something wonderful or something outstanding of its kind," and words are wonderful especially if you share them with your child in your everyday conversations with them.

We know that kids who are exposed to a healthy vocabulary are going to enter kindergarten with some major tools already in their learning tool chest. So don't talk baby talk -- ever -- and never dumb your child down just because their brain is young and you think it's cute. Our children are only as smart as we act, and there is nothing cute about a child who is behind the eight ball entering school.

You might worry, "What if I don't have a strong command of the English language?"

We can all improve our vocabulary, and it is not as drastic as having to stow away with the Royal Family or studying every night for the rest of your life. Although doing The New York Times crossword daily, playing lots of Scrabble and word games and engaging with people who have a good command of the English language all have merit, all you really need to do is pick up a newspaper, a magazine, or a book and read.

Whether you read it in print or read online or have a Kindle or a Nook, there are many ways to get access to the written word.


Many ways to improve your vocabulary means a deeper and more meaningful use of language and communication for your child. And it is never too late to start reading for yourself, even if you haven't opened a book since your school years. More importantly, if you read, chances are your child will be interested in reading as well. And our kids only get kindergarten through third grade to learn to read -- after that it is all reading to learn.

I love seeing young parents inspired to read themselves, again or for the first time, just because they see the positive effects reading has had on their child. Fantastic! It is simply lollapalooza, and don't get caught up in the hullabaloo that there isn't time or that it is uncool.

Sounds cliché, but reading is a gift that keeps on giving.

Think about it -- how many times have you heard the proud parent say, "I am so glad my child hates to read!" Exactly.

Your baby comes, you're reading board books, and you're thinking, they don't understand this, how could they possibly understand what I am reading to them? They do. Your baby hears the sounds and sees expressions, colors and shapes. Your baby picks up on the rhythm of your words, the cadence of your speech, and your tone, and it is all going into that amazing little brain and being stored there where they can tap into it.

Even the best brain surgeon in the world cannot tell you everything about how the brain exactly works. Scientists say we've only tapped a small percentage of our brain power. But we do know that it is a fluid process, and we do know that nurture plays a huge role in the potential for that development.

Now to me that is exciting stuff, and it should be to you as a parent. It means learning is not as static or set as we once thought. This means the impact a parent has is powerful.

Imagine all the potential learning that is firing in that little baby you are holding -- synapses connecting and thoughts developing -- we know in the first year a baby's brain goes through exponential growth. We know a baby is born with a brain only the quarter of its size to make the journey through the birth canal and into the world safely.

Want to help your child's brain grow and your child develop? Read to your child. A lot.

"New insights into how a baby's brain grows show that parents can have a profound effect on how smart their child later becomes," according to in "How Baby Brains Grow."

Make it as natural a thing as possible, and normal, like brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and eating your veggies. You are reading, your vocab improves, you are talking smart and your baby is developing all the while.

Reading to the brain is like working out to the body.

In the same article: "While it is true that each baby's potential is genetically determined, how close the infant comes to reaching her potential is greatly determined by the responsiveness and nurturing of her caregiving environment."

So let's take a cruise into the world of what I call the lollapoolza books -- the most extraordinary thing about books is that they give parents and their babies lots of lap time.

Photographer Franz Nicolay gives this advice to his children who are now having babies.

"Get as much lap time as you can."

One way to do that is to snuggle up and read a book together.

You'll be glad you encouraged your baby to read and you'll be double glad when the queen comes calling for tea. You never know, and I say better to err on the side of caution.

So, talk to your kids. Read with your kids. Please don't dumb them down, they have brains to catch and the time is now.
