Quote Originally Posted by ColoFarmer View Post
The biggest thing I would say is don't treat them like a little kid, don't talk down to them, don't baby talk them, don't "protect them from the world". Be involved, read to them when you can, when they are playing, play with them and put blocks in piles counting "1, 2, 3...", let them see what you do in life. My personal opinion (worth what you paid...) is that kids look to adults to see what they should know. If you baby talk, purposely use small words, that's what they will think they should learn. Encourage them to ask if they don't know. Take the 10 seconds to explain what a word means, or why you put that there, or did this, or whatever if they ask. Don't push off the lesson or assume they wouldn't understand.
This is great advise. I have always talked to my sons as if they were adults since they were very little. Their vocabulary and communication skills have always been very good. They now have no problem interacting with adults, they are 11 and 14 right now.

Reading to/with them is huge. Start it young and do it as much as possible. Encourage it