Active Listening For Parents

Communicating with children is an art requiring love, understanding and imagination. Successful parents will persevere, and ensure that their children comprehend their significance in the world. Your child's feelings, views and opinions have worth, and parents must make sure they take the time, and make the effort to listen openly, patiently and respond appropriately. It takes effort to respond constructively rather than just react. We pass judgment based on our own feelings and experiences, but, responding constructively means being receptive to our child's feelings and emotions.

Parents must allow them to express themselves openly and honestly without fear of indifference or disdain from parents. By reacting indifferently, parents send children the message that their feelings and opinions are invalid and worthless. By responding positively and enthusiastically, asking questions about why children feel the way they communicate, opens a channel of inter action that allows children to discuss their feelings further. That allows parents a better understanding of where they're coming from.

Responding imaginatively gives parents an opportunity to work out solutions or plans of action, with children, that perhaps they would not have come up with on their own. Children will also appreciate the fact that maybe you understand and appreciate how they feel. It is vital in these situations to give children full and enthusiastic attention. Put down the newspaper, stop doing dishes, turn off the television and address the situation. Make eye contact with children. Keep calm, be inquisitive, and then offer possible solutions to any problem.

Don't discourage your child from feeling upset, angry, or frustrated. Initial instincts may be to say something to encourage children away the crux of an issue, but this could be counter productive. Listen to children; ask questions to find out why they are feeling the way they do, and then offer possible solutions to alleviate frustration or unhappiness. Children have feelings and experience difficult situations. By listening with interest and participating with children as they talk, demonstrates to them that we care. We really want to help and contribute and that we have similar experiences of our own that they can draw from.

Always be responsive, encouraging and helpful.