I had the opportunity to attend a district professional development workshop. The keynote was about brain development. It seems studies by Harvard and MIT researchers have shown gaps in children’s learning is not based on poverty but rather on conversational turns from birth to three.

So what are conversational turns? A conversational turn occurs when an adult speaks and a child responds or a child speaks and an adult responds. Speaking doesn’t have to be understandable words on the child’s part. A simple coo or babble that initiates a response from an adult is a conversation. These types of conversations from birth to three activate and strengthen neural pathways in a child’s brain. Follow up research ten years later were predictive of children’s IQ and language skills which affect all other aspects of learning.

The Lord initiated conversations with Adam and Eve, first with Adam. He brought the animals for Adam to name. What an awesome responsibility for God to say, “Adam, what do you want to call this one?” (Genesis 2:23,24). When God formed Eve for Adam, Adam had an immediate response upon awakening. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” Genesis 2:23 (NIV).

The Lord gave Adam and Eve a blessing and a command in Genesis 1:28. He spoke to them about their food in Genesis 1:29. It seems He had conversations with them on a regular basis. Genesis 3:8. Then came the long conversation. Genesis 3:9-20. God was teaching Adam and Eve how to live even after they had sinned. He showed them how to give animal sacrifices until the fulfillment of the sacrifice of His Son. Genesis 3:21.

In Deuteronomy 6:5-7; 11:19 God instructs us how and when to have conversations with our children – when we’re sitting down, walking, lying down and rising up. In other words, we are to talk to our children all the time. It will not only make them smarter but it will instill in them God’s word.

Jesus’ last words to us before His ascension tells us to teach. That necessitates conversation (Matthew 28:19,20). Let’s ditch the iPad, iPhone, Tablet and yes the TV. Let’s talk with our infants, our toddlers, and our pre-schoolers. Let’s instill God’s love and our love for them. In 10 years we’ll be glad we took the time.

Blessings,

Gail