Baby talk

“Speaking directly to a baby or reading a bedtime story has a direct impact on how well they will do in school and possibly their career in later life ... “  So begins an article in last Saturday’s Independent, describing a Stanford University study.  No surprise of course, but a problem for young parents with their own literacy issues.  The study also “warned against using ... TVs as babysitters.”  Far too often I saw babies ‘parked' in a bouncy chair underneath a television while mum/dad’s focus was elsewhere.

The study serves as a reminder that the support needs of young parents can extend well beyond the birth of their children