Inside Listening to Children

Listening to Children

By Kay Kay

Discover why listening to children is so important in our relationships with them and for their future.  Find out why often adults are poor listeners to children.

• Children are our Future

• How Well do we listen?

• What Gets in the Way of Listening?

• Poor Listening

• More than Poor Listening

• Destructive Listening

Recognising our own listening intentions.  This helps us to become more aware of the effect we have on our children and how to make changes.

• Examples of positive intentions

• Examples of negative intentions

• Taking responsibility

• Skill Set A

Making time and space for Supportive Listening.

• Skill Set B

The core Skills of the Power of the Pause, Aikido Listening and Active Listening.

• Skill Set C

Handling interruptions and paying attention. Understanding the importance of body language.

• Skill Set D

Listening to children compassionately, without judgment, criticism or making assumptions.

• Skill Set E

Discover your Listening Heart. Developing emotional self-management and how to encourage children to talk about themselves and express their emotions.

• Skill Set F

Supportive ways to respond to what children say.  Responding to their difficult questions or suspected untruths.  How to behave when you feel the need to respond with punishment.

• Skill Set G

Methods to avoid selective listening.  How to stop thinking of children as our enemies.  Building trust between you and your children.  How to encourage children to express their opinions and beliefs even when they differ from our own.

• Skill Set H

How to check that what we heard was really what was said or meant by the children.  How to avoid misunderstandings.  Making sure children feel they have been fully heard and understood.

A one page overview to Constructive listening.  Great as a quick /handy reference.

Listening Cultures

Ways to create a Listening Culture within the family. Identifying the Listening Cultures in the places where children spend time.

Teaching Listening Skills to your Family

How to deal with what we hear from other people’s children and how handling difficult situations.

Ways to encourage good listening Skills in your children and family.

It only takes one Kay’s personal experience of how it only takes one person to listen well to a child, to make a positive difference their life.

The Fortunate Ones

Children who experience Good Listening in their lives will become the next generation of excellent listeners and have the skills and abilities to make a positive contribution to their relationships, workplace and Society.