Listening

Parents hear their children but often fail to listen. Your children learn from your actions, your behaviors, how you handle situations, what you say and how well you listen. During these difficult times, it is important to become a proactive listener where your children recognize you are making an effort to be mindful of what they are saying.

Give your children the respect of your full attention. Shut off the TV, put down your book, stop texting and get off the computer, look at them and into their eyes, sit quietly and listen.

Encourage your children to share their feelings of sadness, anger, loss and frustration. Listening you might find they have been concerned about something you never dreamt would be so worrisome for them. Giving them the freedom to talk and you listening could put those fears to rest.

They might be struggling with how to express their emotions, ask them questions such as;
"I see you are angry, do you know what is making you this way?"

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