WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD?

LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD

While some of us know that listening to children is important, it is the general assumption of many parents that their child should listen to them and not the other way around, however, listening to your children is way more essential than you can ever think. By listening, we mean to listen without fixing, without judgment, with no other distraction, and to be fully present and listen with plenty of time so that children can form and articulate what they are thinking. Research has it that listening to your child makes it more likely that they listen to you as well. This is on the simple principle that when children feel listened to or understood, they are more likely to listen attentively and try to understand what the parent is trying to convey. Therefore, we will look at why attentive listening is important in the child’s growth and development in this blog.

1. LISTENING TO YOUR CHILD WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR BOND:

 

By patiently listening to them, actively engaging in conversation, and allowing them enough time to express themselves at their own pace, you create a haven for them to express themselves and to find their own voice which is a very important aspect later on in their lives as well. 

2. HELPS THEM IN COMMUNICATION:

When young children feel that their thoughts, opinions, and feelings are being valued, they are more likely to continue and share them with you well into their teenage and adult years. As when kids are little, they are more likely to develop open communication, which will continue a lot more easily further down the road.

3. HELPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS:

Talking to your child regularly will serve as a practice for them to deal with the outside world, which will, in turn, help them develop positive social relationships. When you listen to your child attentively, you make it clear that a conversation involves not only speaking but also listening with equal importance.

4. HELPS IN BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM:

Children who are not heard are mostly the ones who do not listen. It is because they are under the impression that they are unworthy of your time, and their thoughts and emotions are inconsequential to you. So they lose confidence and self-esteem, which can be detrimental to their young developing self.

5. HELP THEM ACADEMICALLY:

While many of us understand that by being actively listened to children feel respected, valued, and understood, there are studies showing that listening helps children in ways that aren’t really obvious. When your child has an eventful day at school and comes back home to be engaged by the parents about what happened at school, they are more likely to show greater interest in school while also increasing odds of helping them score better grades.

6. NEVER JUDGE:

We must not be judgemental when it comes to listening to anybody. This is especially important to remember when listening to a child. Childhood is a difficult phase and children often find it hard to communicate their feelings and sometimes what they say may not come across exactly as they want to because of their limited vocabulary. 

Today, Our lives are filled with busy days, especially the demands placed on parents today are greater than ever. Juggling between work, household chores, parenting, and the general busyness of everyday life and a myriad of demands placed on our time and attention along with the distractions of technology makes us feel stretched and even disconnected in today’s fast-paced high-tech world.By listening, we mean to listen without fixing, without judgment, with no other distraction, and to be fully present and listen with plenty of time so that children can form and articulate what they are thinking.