There is considerable variation in the expressive power of three-year old children and various studies have established that disparities at this age affect future academic results. Some parents speak a lot and use a rich vocabulary with their kids. Does this help children express themselves better or is their level of ability innate? Results show that the word complexity parents, babysitters and relatives use when speaking, helps kids increase their own vocabulary only if these adults actually speak to the child but not if the child simply overhears their conversations. The mental exercise that children perform to process a rich vocabulary does not simply mean that they will remember those words, but actually contributes to develop other mental faculties not necessarily related to speaking. Nineteen-month old infants whose parents speak to them using a rich vocabulary develop what is called efficient linguistic elaboration and this helps various other cognitive functions. The opposite happens with parents who do not speak with their kids or only do so using a simple vocabulary. Direct verbal contact with one’s small children creates a bond and will contribute positively to their future academic results.