The Significance of Listening to Your Child: A Parent’s Guide

Children want one thing even above toys and chocolates – parents to lend an ear when they want to talk to them. If you want your child to have a healthy and secure childhood, one of the most important things you can do for them is to listen to them when they want to communicate with you. In fact, it will do you and your child well to encourage this habit.

Listen about their ‘little’ problems

Parents are their biggest support system. Children are trying to navigate their way through this world. On these paths they look to parents for guidance, advice, approval and appreciation. Things which are unimportant for adults are massive for children. Even a small failure can mean a huge setback for a child. At such a point, a child wants assurance from parents that it is alright to fail at times and that this failure can be overcome. If this sort of intervention does not take place regularly, it can demotivate a child and even worse, the child may end up internalising this failure. By listening, you make them feel that they are important to you.

Listen about their ‘big’ achievements  

If failure needs to be addressed, so does success. For a child, something as small as being able to write an alphabet that they have been struggling with is a huge achievement and it need to be acknowledged. Giving this appreciation when required reinforces the child’s confidence and motivates him or her to achieve new milestones. It teaches the child to believe in themselves.

Read their silence

Sometimes children face difficulties adjusting to new environments. This manifests in various ways. It is not always that children communicate verbally. Any deviation in their behaviour is also a form of communication. And sometimes listening can take the form of keen observation too. Reluctance to go somewhere, changes in eating patterns, deviation in sleeping patterns, anger outbursts and sudden lack of playfulness could all mean something. As a parent, It is becomes extremely important you to understand this silent communication, interpret it and take required steps to ensure that your child is fine.

There is no greater gift you can give to your child than the gift of listening to them. You can give them a great childhood with your loving words, but even more so with your listening.

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