·Talk through everything — narrate diaper changes, meals, walks. "Now we're putting on your left shoe!"

·Read aloud every day, even to newborns — repetition builds vocabulary faster than any toy

·Respond to babbles as if they are words — this teaches conversation turn-taking from day one

·Expand on what they say — if they say "dog", say "yes, big fluffy dog!" to model richer language

·Limit background TV — constant noise makes it harder for babies to tune into speech patterns

·Sing songs and nursery rhymes daily — rhythm and repetition are powerful language accelerators

·Ask questions and pause — give Nethra plenty of time to respond before filling the silence