Explore more about Active Listening | Sparklekidz

Actively listening to your child is more than just simply hearing them. Active listening is a skill.

You can actively listen by:

• getting close to your child when they’re speaking
• giving your child your full attention
• allowing your child to talk and not interrupting them
• avoiding questions that break your child’s train of thought
• focusing on what your child is saying rather than thinking about what you’ll say next
• looking at your child so they knows they’re being heard and understood
• showing your child that you’re interested by nodding your head and making comments

Benefits of active listening

An essential ingredient of strong, healthy relationships is good communication. And successful communication depends a lot on how you listen.

By using active listening, you can strengthen your communication and improve your relationship with your child. This is because active listening shows your child that you care and are interested. It can also help you learn and understand more about what’s going on in your child’s life.

With active listening, you don’t have to talk too much. It can take the pressure off you to come up with answers and solve problems. Active listening can also make it more likely that your child will ask you what you think.

Improving your active listening skills

Get into the here and now

This means really paying attention. If you notice your mind has wandered, bring it back to what your child is saying.

When your child is talking to you, it can help to turn off the TV, your mobile phone and other devices. If you give your child your undivided interest and attention, it sends the message that your child is the most important thing to you right now. It says that you’re available and interested in what your child is thinking, feeling and doing.

Try to understand

Concentrate on what your child is saying rather than thinking about what you’re going to say next. Are you missing their point while you think about your own?

Show that you’re trying to understand

Summarise your child’s main points and how you think your child might be feeling. Try repeating what your child is saying in your own words. Try to avoid making judgments when you summarise what your child has said.

Often when you use active listening and repeat back your child’s words, it’s like an invitation to say more, because your child feels heard. It can encourage your child to explain further or say more about what they’re thinking.

If you like to read more click here. You may click here for Website.