Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's explosive Oprah Winfrey interview has been all anyone has been talking about for the past week. Aside from the royal bombshell claims, the in-depth chat saw the Duke and Duchess of Sussex open up about life in Los Angeles with their young son Archie Harrison.
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One of the most memorable comments from the interview was the revelation that Archie's first word was "crocodile". It seems the 22-month-old tot is very advanced for his age, from his impressive vocabulary to requesting waffles for breakfast and looking after chickens in the garden of their Montecito home.
Parent Coach and Early Years expert Sophie Pickles spoke to HELLO! about the significance of Archie's first word, explaining that the interview subtly revealed a lot about the royal couple's parenting style and the aspects of childhood and education they value.
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She said: "The fact that Archie's first word was such a complex one, quite literally speaks volumes. While it is unusual for a child's first word to have three syllables, it isn't unheard of. The complexity of a child's vocabulary at such a young age is largely based upon two things - the child's innate linguistic ability and the environment in which they are being raised."
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"The fact that Harry and Meghan are clearly so proud of Archie's vocabulary leads me to believe that they promote language development a lot at home. Reading stories, poetry, singing songs and favouring adult phrases above 'baby talk' are all clearly present in the home of the Sussex family."
Archie's first word was 'crocodile'
It's clear to see that Harry and Meghan are devoted parents and have spent Archie's formative months focused on his development, particularly since he hasn't been able to mix with other children his age due to the global pandemic.
Sarah believes Archie has been "mimicking" the language of those around him, particularly in the use of the phrases "drive safe" and "hydrate", with Meghan and Harry sharing their delight at his recently adopted catchphrases.
"This could be when Harry and Meghan are in direct contact with Archie and speaking one-on-one to him or equally when they are having conversations with each other", she explained.
Archie has been 'mimicking' his parents' vocabulary
"Our little ones are always listening - even from newborns, they are absorbing the language around them, making sense of it and then, when they feel the time is right, experimenting with repeating it themselves.
"One of my oldest son's first words was 'purple'. Unusual maybe, but it wasn't a word that we pushed on him. He heard it used in our daily conversation and obviously liked the way it sounded, just as Archie enjoys saying 'crocodile'." How sweet!
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You can follow Early Years expert Sophie Pickles for free parenting help and advice on Instagram @mummypickles.
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