EP 284: How to Actively Listen to Your Kids (And Why It's a Great Idea to Do So)

Active listening is something I talk about quite a bit. (And I hope people listen to me! 😂) It is a practice that lets others know that we’re interested in what they have to say and to be on the receiving end of it feels great and allows for true expression. It’s a vital skill for managers, sales pros, spouses, friends, and maybe most of all, parents. One aspect of the practice of active listening includes what is often referred to as either looping, mirroring, or reflecting - the act of repeating back to a speaker what you’ve heard them say. And this is very effective for adult-to-adult conversations. But in conversations with your kids? Maybe not so much. Kids may get frustrated and impatient with this process and this will defeat the purpose. So a great alternative is to instead ask some open-ended questions of your child. This allows you to hold space for them, let’s them know you care and encourages them to express themselves; all very important aspects of a healthy parent/child relationship. And to develop it as a habit, I suggest setting aside 20-30 minutes at a given time each day and just start a conversation with your child and ask these open-ended questions as you chat.