Encouraging children to become comfortable with words, especially new words, is all about repetition.  Explaining a word’s definition is a great start, but using words is what makes them sink in.  Every day.  Just as a quotidian morning meal is essential to your children’s health and sustained energy, so too is the quotidian use of interesting words/language in the presence of your children.  Every day.

Children become friends with words when there’s a natural flow to language.  Introducing words at home doesn’t have to be tedious or open to querulous behavior.  Think fun.  Think repetition.  Think quotidian.  Think about these next 2 Adjectives to add to your children’s repertoire of words:

1.  querulous –  given to complaining;  addicted to complaining.  What to love about this word? querulous derives from the word quarrelsome, and who wants to be described as quarrelsome or querulous?  Using the word querulous will stop someone in their querulous tracks.   Tempers, tongues, brains can be described as querulous, but querulous behavior is most commonly used.  Discuss querulous with your children.  Do your children know anyone who complains a lot?  Is it possible to help a querulous person become more satisfied or happy?  Use the word querulous.  Your children will pick up this adjective very quickly because it’s meaning is so easy to recognize.

2.  quotidian – of or pertaining to every day things;  daily;  ordinary or commonplace. What to love about this word? quotidian can become one of your quotidian words.  Every day.  Discuss with your children things you do every day.  Daily.  Feeding your cat or dog its quotidian morning meal?  Grooming and cleansing with a quotidian teeth brushing and hair combing?  The task of quotidian homework?  Quotidian thoughts of summer?  A quotidian cup of coffee or tea?  Quotidian chores?  Quotidian arguments?  Use the word quotidian daily.  Let’s just hope that your quotidian adjective discussions don’t lead to querulous behavior!  Ha!

querulous.  quotidian. Introduce your children to these two descriptive words.  Use them.  Repeat them often… especially in fun.  WORDS make your children THINK.  Remember that LITERACY is all about WORDS – Written, Spoken, Felt.