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

    trusted cleaning company Bannockburn ..
    In The News:

    Apple's iOS 26.1 update delivers major security fixes, performance boosts and enhanced privacy controls for your iPhone. Discover why updating now protects your data.
    Russian hackers use fake CAPTCHA tests to spread dangerous malware targeting governments and journalists. Learn how to protect yourself from these deceptive attacks.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Miami-Dade debuts America's first autonomous police SUV with AI cameras, drone deployment and real-time crime detection in groundbreaking law enforcement pilot.
    Bank impostor scams cost Americans $2.9 billion as criminals use AI voices and caller ID spoofing to steal life savings. Learn nine essential fraud protection tips.
    Foreign-owned apps secretly harvest personal data from seniors, making them prime targets for scams. Learn how to protect your privacy and stop data brokers today.
    Sens. Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal introduce bipartisan GUARD Act to protect minors from AI chatbots through mandatory age verification and disclosure requirements.
    Ghost-tapping scammers exploit wireless technology to drain accounts through small transactions, but RFID-blocking wallets and transaction alerts can protect you.
    French pilot project demonstrates wireless charging roads that can deliver over 300 kilowatts of power to EVs while driving, potentially eliminating range anxiety.
    YouTube's Ghost Network spreads information-stealing malware through thousands of fake videos offering cracked software, using compromised accounts and fake engagement.
    Protect your privacy by disabling your smart TV microphone. Most TVs have hidden mics that listen even when voice commands are off. Learn quick steps to stop unwanted audio capture.
    SessionReaper vulnerability hits Magento and Adobe Commerce stores, compromising 250+ sites in one day. Hackers steal data and hijack shopping sessions.
    Master essential parental controls and digital safety tools to protect your kids online. Learn screen time limits, location settings and privacy controls every parent needs.
    Cybersecurity expert shares six essential steps to protect against dark web threats, including data removal services, password managers and antivirus software.
    NVIDIA GPU space mission could revolutionize cloud services by enabling orbital data centers that make apps, games and AI tools faster and more efficient.
    Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
    Microsoft warns Windows 10 users face serious security risks as 90% of ransomware attacks target unsupported systems. Learn why upgrading to Windows 11 is crucial.
    Nike unveils Project Amplify, revolutionary motorized shoes developed with Dephy that add powered assistance to every step for runners and walkers.
    Cybersecurity experts warn about one of the largest credential compilations ever found, urging users to check "Have I Been Pwned" and change passwords immediately.
    Quick iPhone and Android battery optimization techniques help your device stay powered all day by turning off hidden features that secretly drain power in the background.
    Kodiak Driver autonomous truck achieves perfect 98 safety score, matching top human fleets in groundbreaking AI evaluation by Nauto's VERA system.
    New 401k catch-up contribution rules in 2026 will change taxes for high earners over 50. Learn how scammers exploit these changes and protect your retirement savings.
    Kurt Knutsson's guide covers social media privacy protection through location settings, account privacy controls and two-factor authentication to prevent scams and data breaches.
    Revolutionary retinal implant restores central vision in 80% of patients with advanced macular degeneration, offering hope where treatments once only slowed blindness.
    Learn how to use passkeys on Windows and Mac computers without cameras or fingerprint readers. Discover secure authentication methods that replace passwords.
  • Why Do People Have Kids?

    Despite the theory that people have kids because they want... Read More

    Co-Morbidity Rates: Other Problems That May Come With ADHD

    Diagnosing children and teens with ADHD can be a challenge.... Read More

    Joining a Gang: How to Help Kids Prevent it, How to Tell if Theyve Joined One, How to Help Them Out

    While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced... Read More

    Parenting Your Teenager: 8 Things You Need to Be Doing

    Get into their world. The world that teens are growing... Read More

    Guide to Choosing Plush Toys for Children

    Many people consider plush toys great for children. They say... Read More

    Diana, Princess of Whales

    Younger generations unfortunately will not understand how larger than life... Read More

    Potty Dolls to Accelerate Potty Training Success

    Sometime the most effective training tool in rapidly accelerating the... Read More

    How to Cope With Colic

    When my oldest daughter was born, I walked the floor... Read More

    Educational Toys - How Do Parents Choose The Best Toys For Their Child

    The choices are mind numbing. Walk into any toy store... Read More

    Parenting Your Teenager: Back to School Blues

    Q: Our son has been in honors classes all through... Read More

    Humans and Their Innate Need for Drug Stimulation

    We know that ancient cultures and Indians and the like... Read More

    Imaginations Soar

    Have you ever sat and watch a child struggle with... Read More

    Teaching Kids to Read

    We are all so very happy to see that the... Read More

    Mothers Day Tribute

    As Mother's Day approaches I would like to give a... Read More

    14 Romantic Time-Outs for Parents

    Here are fourteen spontaneous time-outs, specially designed to help you... Read More

    Got To, Get To ? Change The Way Your Family Thinks

    I recently heard a story that has literally changed the... Read More

    Small Children, Languages and Myths

    Our children are growing up bilingual in the French part... Read More

    Eating Disorders in Children

    If I had a dollar for every time I persuaded... Read More

    Super Nanny - A Users Guide to Watching Super Nanny

    There are many things to like about the television show... Read More

    Dads, Handle your Kids Mistakes

    One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More

    How Two Quarelling Kids Helped Invent the Better Behavior Wheel

    When David was nine and Laura was twelve, the battles... Read More

    5 Solid Reasons: Why Your Child Can Be An Achiever

    All of us, including your child, entered this world equipped... Read More

    Games Of The Past Meet The Present

    Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More

    10 Points on Children for the New Parent

    I remember when my daughter was born, later my son.... Read More

    Secrets from the Classroom: Avoiding Summer Learning Loss

    In June, elementary school children across North America cheered as... Read More

    luxury cleaning services Lake Forest ..