LISTENING
I’ve been thinking about listening as part of effective communication. As parents we expect our children to listen to us. It’s so cast in stone and generally expected of children.
However, there are two sides to every coin. Regardless of the child’s age, they should be listened to. When babies cry we listen and try to tell what they need since that’s the only language they can communicate in at the stage. The same should go for older children.
Sometimes, we find ourselves refusing to listen to an explanation because we are angry at a certain behaviour. It is not helpful to act in this manner every time.
You see, it doesn’t take so much to make an impression on a child. It is even much more serious when we do the same things over and over again.
Not taking time to listen to them even if they are wrong, is counter productive. The more we do this, the more compounded it becomes and the child no longer listens to the parent. They hear you but there’s no understanding of what has been said because it has not settled.
I think about Colossians 3:21:
“Fathers do not aggravate your children or they will become discouraged”.
Not listening to children can also produce ripple effects such as rules and instructions being flouted. Since children observe us a lot, the ones who are not being listened to go ahead to become somewhat argumentative with others, lacking respect for other people’s opinions and basically refusing to listen.
This is already a running programme in their operating system.
To your transformational parenting journey.
I’ll take this opportunity to present something to you.
Have you been thinking about next steps in terms of your child’s education lately?
Are you unsatisfied with your child’s current school?
Or is your child transitioning between primary/prep school to secondary schools
Maybe it is time to start considering university places.
Kiroti-Konsult, a solid support system and bank of resourcefulness for parents can help.
Please fill out this fact finding survey to help sort out your thinking in this area. It would great if you could share it with someone who might need it.
Many Thanks
