Take time to talk with your children

I READ "Connection failure?" with interest, and I have something to add. Parents, lose the phone when you are with your baby. Your child learns about human discourse by talking with you. You see birds together, you talk about their color, compare flying to walking, discuss eggs and baby chicks. If instead of exploring the world together - by piquing our children's curiosity and letting the conversation follow their interests - we are talking on a cellphone, we're going to have quiet children. I often say how grateful I am that I didn't have a cellphone when my two fabulous, opinionated chatterbox teens were small.

JUDY PERLMAN
Cambridge