Radio Commentary
One of the
simplest parent tips is one that is often overlooked because it seems so
obvious:
Listen to
your children.
As the saying goes, there is a
reason we are given two ears and one mouth.
For parents it is tempting to
reverse the ratio and do more talking than listening. After all, there is so
much we want our children to learn and do. We are the source of that knowledge,
and there is a powerful urge to share it often.
And, of course, talking to children
is very good for them. It helps them acquire more of the subtleties of
language.
But children also need to talk and
to be heard.
When
you listen carefully to what they are saying, you send the clear message, “You
matter to me. I care about what you have to say. Your ideas and opinions are
worthy of being heard.”
Those
are powerful messages for children to absorb.
The
best advice is to slow down, face your child, even get down to his level, wait,
and listen carefully to what she has to say.
Avoid
the temptation to talk over your children. Don’t finish their thoughts, even if
their speech is halting or they are searching for words. Let them find the
words on their own, or help with some prompting.
Don’t
hurry your child to get on with it. Be patient. The time you spend listening
will bear long-terms dividends for both of you.
