Jackie Bailey: Children Thrive With Communication and Age Appropriate Freedom

In this episode, Shellee and Jackie discuss:The different ages and stages of conversationBridging the communication gap between parents and kidsWhy social skills matter for your teenThe power of asking permissionGiving your child more freedom to make decisions Key Takeaways: Asking the right questions is the key to a good conversation. Those questions might differ based on the age group, but the purpose is the same: to get your child to say more than no or yes - asking the right kinds of questions will give you the information that you may be seeking as a parent.You need to show your children that you care about what they're doing, and how they feel, no matter how young or old they are. When speaking with them, be attentive, stop what you are doing for a moment, and maintain eye contact as much as possible.It is often thought that academics are the only thing that will prepare our kids for the next phase, but without social confidence and without social skills, especially those that can help them stand up for what they believe, they won't be able to know where they belong.Ask your child's permission before giving them advice or telling them about an experience that might be helpful for them or showing them some of your mistakes. You shouldn't push or force them to listen to what you have to say if they say no or don't want to hear what you have to say.Children need to be given the opportunity to make their own decisions or to say yes or no. You don't have to give them total freedom, but you can help them to see how the consequences can come about in that regard and help to build some trust and confidence in them. “It's the conversations that ensue, that help them realize ‘someone cares about what I think’, ‘someone cares about my feelings’, and ‘someone cares about my motivations’ and ‘what I like to do and what I don't’. And kids, when they learn how to do that effectively, it really gives them a sense of self-empowerment, to be able to take charge in those uncomfortable social situations that we all find ourselves in.”  —  Jackie Bailey About Jackie Bailey:  Jackie is the curator of the SPEAK FEED LEAD Public Speaking Studio in Redmond, WA. and the founder of THE SPEAK FEED LEAD PROJECT nonprofit. Their mission is to transform all individuals to speak with power, feed others in word and deed, and lead with positive influence.Aside from that, she founded Emerald City Consulting, which helps teams communicate better and develop more leaders. In 2014, Jackie wrote and published SELF-Centered Leadership: Becoming Influential, Intentional and Exceptional, a book that can help you hoist your sails and embark on an odyssey of exceptional leadership. Jackie won an Excellence in Education award from Toastmasters International in 2012, was a Semi-Finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking in 2015, and placed in the world's top 98 speakers.  Connect with Jackie Bailey:Website: https://jackiebailey360.com/ Connect with Shellee Howard: Website:  https://collegereadyplan.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr_WodPHDfSWEbiPdsRDbyQTwitter: https://twitter.com/gocollegereadyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/collegereadyplan/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeReadyPlan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/college-ready/Email: [email protected]  Show notes by Podcastologist: Angelica Rayco. Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You’re the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 🎁 Episode Gift & Contact 🎓 College Planning Support for ParentsWant help organizing next steps and avoiding costly college mistakes? 📘 Workbook Gift:https://go.collegereadyplan.com/podcast-gift-workbook 🤝 Interested in Collaborating with College Ready?Email Julienne at [email protected]