fbpx

7 Ways to Promote Strong Listening Skills in Your Children

7 Ways to Promote Strong listening skills in your child

Being the kind of parent you want to be requires knowledge, consistency, and a sense of confidence.

When you truly know that what you’re doing is the right thing, even in the face of conflict you’ll follow through.

One important skill to cultivate in your children is listening. Good communication skills will benefit your children in all aspects of their lives – at home, school, work, and in relationships. If your children know how to listen well, they will live a more fulfilling and successful life.

Try these strategies to promote strong listening skills in your children:

  1. Listen to your children. One of the strongest ways that children learn is through modeling behaviors of their parents.
  • When you demonstrate good listening skills in your everyday life in the presence of your kids, they will learn those skills, too. They can see how it’s done by watching you.
  1. Stop doing whatever you’re doing. When you want to communicate with your child, suspend your current activity to focus completely on them. Whether they initiate the conversation or you do, stop what you’re doing so you can concentrate on your interaction.
  2. Make eye contact. In any type of communication, look in the eyes of the person you’re talking to and teach your children to do the same.
  • A subtle and special connection is made when people make eye contact. You can start modeling this behavior to your children when they’re quite young, even before the age of 2 years.
  1. Say your child’s name. When you talk to your children, saying their name will help get their attention and set them up to be ready to listen, just like when someone calls your name, you stop what you’re doing and look at them.
  • Getting your child’s attention by stating his name is an effective way to prepare him to hear what you’re going to say. That focus is necessary to begin to develop listening skills.
  1. Suggest to your child that they sit down. This suggestion sends the message, “Get ready to listen because I’m going to talk.”
  • When your child is very young, try leading him to a chair. Then say something like, “I’d like to talk to you for a minute,” which serves as an attention-getter.
  • Once you complete what you wanted to express, be ready to listen to your child’s response.
  1. Spot-check their listening skills. From time to time, ask your child what you just said. You’re trying to determine what your child heard by asking him to paraphrase what you said. When he repeats it properly, praise his efforts.
  • If he doesn’t get it quite right, you have an opportunity to repeat what you said for clarification and to enhance his listening skills.
  1. Reinforce a child’s effort to listen, no matter how small. When your child shows the smallest attempt to listen or to even approach listening, it’s smart to reinforce those efforts right away.
  • Even with a 2-year-old, you can encourage their listening skills by saying, “Thank you for sitting so quietly while Mommy was talking,” or, “You were really listening to Daddy, thank you.”
  • After a conversation, simple responses, such as smiling while you say, “Great job on listening,” also let your kids know they exhibited the important behavior you were seeking.

Promoting your child’s listening abilities is best done in small ways every single day.

As a parent, you’re the best role model for teaching your children communication skills. Reward their efforts with smiles and positive comments, and you’re on your way to building their listening skills for a successful future.

Music lessons have proven to help children develop strong listening skills. If you’re ready to see your child love themselves more listen better, and have a creative outlet, let’s get more music into their life with our 2 week free trial. Click here to learn more.

About Us

We’re Confident Voice Studio. We are a team of nurturing teachers who can help with voice, piano, guitar, violin, and songwriting. Our expertise ranges from preschool to adult. From the first lesson to nailing an audition or preparing for performances we've got your back.

You May Also Like…

6 Ways to Build Strong Character and Integrity in Children

6 Ways to Build Strong Character and Integrity in Children

We live in a society where values and ideals aren’t necessarily the epitome of integrity. As parents, we are unable to shield our children from the various social problems and vices that exist. But we can teach them and inculcate in them the value of integrity. 

Integrity is crucial, yet becoming less common in modern society. It can be difficult to convince your kids that the ideal behavior is the opposite of what they observe.

However, you have a significant amount of power and a mostly captive audience as a parent. You may resist societal pressure and prepare your child for a life of integrity.

read more
10 Ways to Reduce Burn Out

10 Ways to Reduce Burn Out

Can you believe it’s almost been a year since the world shut down because of COVID-19?

Somedays is seems like the year flew by.

Other days it feel like it will never end.

And you may be experiencing some burnout.

You may be exhausted, moody, and ready to give up.

You may be prone to emotional outbursts, falling asleep in the wrong place, and unable to focus and concentrate. 

(Or maybe that’s just me?)

read more

0 Comments