All too often, when people say they cant communicate with their kids what they really mean is that they don't know how to talk so that their kids will listen. What they forget is that their own listening habits are probably more important than anything they might say. One of the most loving and personality-shaping things a parent can do for a child is to simply listen to them! Kids have questions, thoughts, observations, and feelings, which can be very enlightening for parents that learn to listen. The behavior of listening starts at the beginning of parenting. When your children cannot talk and can only cry, you can still listen to the crying and try and discover what is discomforting your child. Children use crying as a way of telling their parent that something is wrong. Kids so often give us lots of information about how they are feeling and thinking, if we will just stop talking, telling, and explaining and listen with all our intellect and understanding.
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ReplyDeleteIts a huge part of parenting. Even in a fast paced environment, there should be no excuse to not listen, everyone wants their thoughts and ideas heard.
ReplyDeleteI believe listening is so essential. When you actually take the time to listen and look your children in the face while doing so, its makes them feel so good. Small thing to do to bring joy to someone else.
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