My son sometimes has trouble saying words.
As he tells his story, asks his question he gets stuck saying a word. Enough so now that we are seeking help. But this is not why I’m writing this today. It’s what I’ve noticed that’s happened because of him stopping on the initial sound of the particular word and the impact on me.
I stop and pay attention to him.
I notice we all do it much more. Somewhere along the line we’ve gotten very used to as a family carrying on doing while someone is talking to us. But when this son talks and gets stuck we’re all stopping too.
Instead of all those thoughts running through my head, I can’t talk for the rest of the family, I try and put them aside and look at him.
Instead of looking for the next thing I should be doing my eyes try to stay focused on him.
Instead of continuing to hold, do, tap, press, scoop, smooth, write, I try to put it down.
We’re working on whole body listening with our boys and now we must remember to listen fully ourselves.
What’s your mind, eyes and fingers doing when your child is talking to you?
I know it’s not always possible. It can be more possible than it is though right?
Where I do this for one I’m going to try and do it for more of the family. I’m going to have a not so secret quest. Well not secret because you know but secret from my family. I’m going to try ( really hard) to listen fully- eyes, mind and hands. I’m not going to say when but I’m picking a day.
You pick a time period and go!
Connect with your kids with that smile as they finish sharing their precious message.
Great post. I love your posts on listening, they always make me think about what I am actually doing when Goblin is talking. I will be paying more attention to my own actions this week.
I’ve always noticed how kids can be so attentive when they listen. Not always, but, sometimes, their eyes are just glued to you. I wonder why it’s so hard for adults to do the same, why we grow out of it?