Making Time to Talk - Building Connections Through Talk in the Home

Making Time to Talk - Building Connections Through Talk in the Home

From The Early Years Together by Deborah Brown and Dr Jacqueline Young

March 15, 2026 · 13 min · Season 1 · Episode 8

About this episode

The episode discusses how everyday moments can enhance family communication and children's confidence while addressing screen time and emotional support strategies.

In this week's episode, Jacqueline and Deborah explore how the smallest moments in a family’s day can become the biggest opportunities for connection. From breakfast chats to bath‑time giggles, they share simple, practical ways to spark richer conversations, nurture curiosity, and build children’s confidence as communicators. They unpack the realities of screen time without the guilt, offering easy shifts that turn digital moments into shared learning. The episode also dives into supporting children through big emotions, with calming phrases, connection‑first strategies, and ideas for building emotional vocabulary. A warm, reassuring listen for any parent or carer wanting to make talking feel natural, joyful, and part of everyday life. Link to Google form to submit questions : https://forms.gle/BMDCvTGAEfjjoqTQ8 Episode Eight References: Bhutani, P. et al. (2024) ‘Is the screen time duration affecting children’s language development? - a scoping review’, Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 25, p. 101457. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2023.101457 Karani, N.F., Sher, J. and Mophosho, M. (2022) ‘The influence of screen time on children’s language development: A…

People in this episode

Hosts: Deborah Brown, Dr Jacqueline Young

Topics covered

  • family communication
  • screen time
  • emotional vocabulary
  • children's confidence
  • parenting strategies

Keywords

  • family connection
  • communication
  • screen time impact
  • children's language development
  • parenting tips

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC, National Literacy Trust

Books & works: Is the screen time duration affecting children’s language development? - a scoping review, The influence of screen time on children’s language development: A scoping review

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