The zero to five age group is more receptive to animation and tone of voice than the words themselves. At this stage you won’t be having deep and meaningful chats, but you can still communicate effectively by:
• Exaggerating the way you talk through tone of voice, smiling and overt hand and facial gestures.
• Get animated by clapping hands, dancing, jump with excitement, sad face if things aren’t going so well, happy face and high fives on good outcomes
• Learn on your way through
• Be consistent
• Be encouraging

Want to really know what they’re thinking? Effective communication is a good start.

1. Make time. Kids get put off by being rushed about. They won’t talk on command, you need to invest and create the time. They won’t tell you what happened at school at 3:35 pm but will most likely open up to their days’ highs and lows over a chilled out family dinner.
2. Prompt ‘em. To get started they may need some help. Maybe you start with how your day went or pick up on a topic that will interest them.
3. Choose your words. Kids are very literal and as we all know it’s very hard to take words back. Think first.
4. Listen. There’s a reason we have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen and avoid interrupting.
5. Be engaged. Forget your own world, get inside their world. Laugh, give examples to demonstrate that you understand and are listening to them.
6. Talk, don’t preach. Even today my own dad can’t help but talk at us. My natural reaction is to withdraw and talk about the weather. Talk at the same level, act and be interested.