The Top 10 Tips for Communicating with Children

Most people have more training before they receive their driver's license than before they become a parent. Educating yourself on how to communicate effectively with your child can be the key to achieving your parenting goals. If you do not have children of your own, these 10 tips can help you whenever you are around children.

  • Draw children out to speak about the things on their minds.

    You can 'prime the pump' by talking with them about their favorite foods, toys, movies, video games, etc.

  • Verbally reflect the emotions of a child before giving in to your need to teach them something.

    Parents are constantly making the error of educating their child when their child expresses pain. "I hate my nose" is often responded to with, "you have a perfectly good nose" and the child is left to feel all alone with what could become an enormous problem for them in years to come.

  • Teach your child to wait instead of interrupting your conversations.

    One technique is to teach your children to lightly touch your arm and to wait peacefully and quietly to be acknowledged by you. Children who interrupt miss a chance to learn to control their impulses and can upset the flow of an adult's conversation.

  • Play little games whenever you see children.

    For example, you could put something such as a coin in a hand behind your back and ask the child to guess which hand it is in. This is a way to build a strong connection with a child and make a child feel honored.

  • Lower yourself physically to a child's level by sitting down, bending down, or sitting on the floor.

    It may have been months since any adult has joined the child on their own level.

  • Hold and play with a child's toys or trinkets.

    Play is the language of a child. If you stop for even thirty seconds to draw a picture alongside of a child who is coloring, you could become one of their heroes.

  • Tell short stories to children.

    Make the stories up or pull them from your own childhood. Stories can be used to build a connection, to teach a lesson, or just to leave a child feeling better than when the conversation began.

  • Follow up on the promises that you make to children with action.

    Children are usually more hurt than adults by broken promises. Ironically, many people treat their promises to children as less important than their promises to adults.

  • Sacrifice some of your time to interact with children and to focus on them 100%.

    Most adults do not interact with children who are present because the children are not able to meet their needs the way that an adult can. Five minutes invested in the life of a child will pay dividends that an hour invested in the life of an adult may not.

  • Master the art of Socratic questioning.

    This means that instead of expressing facts or lecturing that you ask a question to stimulate the child's own reasoning process. Socratic questioning opens up a place in a person's mind for the answer to be remembered. For example, you could ask, "How do you think we could take better care of the puppy?" instead of telling your child what to do.

    About The Author

    This piece was written by Dr. Clare Albright, Psychologist and Parenting Coach, and author of "100 Tips for Parents of Two Year Olds", which can be downloaded for only $5.77 from http://www.parentsoftwoyearolds.com

    Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
    In The News:

    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
    Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.
    Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.
    Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.
    Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.
    China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries
    Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.
    The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.
    ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.
    Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.
    The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.
    You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.
    Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.
    Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.
    Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.
    Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you honor our heroes with these powerful podcasts, audiobooks and documentaries this Veterans Day.
  • Are You Too Busy for Your Kids?

    In his recent newsletter "Happy Kids", parenting expert Michael Grose... Read More

    Parents ? The No Child Left Behind Law Wont Do Much For Your Child

    Past experience with federal education programs predicts that the No... Read More

    Financially Stable Kids ? Prepared for College

    We are all familiar with the stories that most students... Read More

    Vision: 20/20 Is Not Enough!

    Now is an excellent time to have your child's vision... Read More

    Top 50 Mom Quotations

    "All that I am or ever hope to be, I... Read More

    Your Company Vehicle is a Portable Bill Board; A word of advice on children passengers

    Child Safety Restraints and children in work vehiclesIf you take... Read More

    Unilateral Disarmament - The First Step to Improving Communications with Your Teenagers

    Many times, we are so conditioned in how we speak... Read More

    Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) for Teen Drivers

    Drivers 16 years of age have little driving experience, putting... Read More

    10 Universal Laws for Parents of Teens

    1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More

    Elephants and Teenagers

    Something eerily familiar happened in KwaZulu-Natal's Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park in Africa... Read More

    The Science of Mother Love

    A growing body of scientific evidence shows that the way... Read More

    Strengths and Weaknesses

    All too often, children with learning disabilities are seen through... Read More

    How To Develop Your Babys Brain

    Have you ever wondered why toys for babies tend to... Read More

    Educational Toys And Childrens Books - A Must For Optimal Childhood Development

    The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the... Read More

    A Night Out For Mom & Dad

    Is your babysitter watching the kids and your k9 family... Read More

    7 Ways Busy Families Can Volunteer

    Volunteering together is a fantastic way to spend time as... Read More

    What To Do When You Think Your Child Might Have AD/HD

    AD/HD (attention deficit disorder) is one of the most common... Read More

    Parenting Your Teenager: 7 Tips for Back to School Success

    Blink. That's all we did, blink, and summer is ending... Read More

    5 Ways To Tell If A Preschooler Is Living In Your House

    1. You reheated the same cup of coffee three times... Read More

    Finding Answers to Underachievement

    Finding answers to a child's underachievement is often a difficult... Read More

    Send Your Child to College FREE!

    College is one of the largest expenses through the course... Read More

    Let Your Children Name the New Baby

    Choosing a baby name is an important job, so make... Read More

    Child Communication Skill: Do You Really Know What Your Child Is Saying To You?

    Here's the scene of communication with your child: your three-year-old... Read More

    What is Incest?

    Incest is sexual activity, ranging from fondling to intercourse, between... Read More

    Play the Ball, Not the Man!

    As parents and teachers, sometimes we want to praise, at... Read More

    Antigo wedding limo ..