Terri Ramsey Beavers You talk to your children all the time and you have done this since they were tiny babies. To you, communication is vital if you want to have a healthy and enjoyable relationship with your little ones. As a parent, you always want the best thing for your children; sometimes things don’t always pan out as you expected. Before you get upset or distressed at the situation, take your time to consider the options. If you are having trouble communicating with your little one, here are just a few of the thing you can do to improve it.
1.Ask for Expert Advice
If you are struggling to communicate with your child in one way or another, then you might want to seek out expert advice. You might need to consider speech therapy for kids or other forms of communication assistance. A professional will be able to pinpoint the root of the problem so that your worries can be eased.
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2. Talk Openly With Them
Your child might be very good at talking to other people, but perhaps they struggle with confiding in you. You need to talk openly with them so that they reciprocate this behaviour right back to you. This will establish open lines of communication so that they always feel comfortable talking to you. This is especially important when your children get older as they will start to keep their distance as they approach their teenage years.
3. Don’t Put too Much Pressure on Them
If you start forcing your child to talk to you or communicate, they are going to put up a certain amount of resistance. Try to allow your conversations to flow naturally, so that they don’t feel unauthentic. Children are so clever, so they will be able to sense when you’re trying to pull information out of them. Keep it real and they will give you real conversations right back.
4. Use Alternative Forms of Communication
Getting through to your child when they are still so little can be very difficult. Many parents have found success in using sign language so that their child can signal to them what they want. There are simple signs for hungry, thirsty, tired, cat and dog; you can easily work with your child to incorporate these into their daily skills.
5. Have Fun!
There are so many fun ways to spark excellent communication skills with your kids. You could sing a fun song with them, watch your favourite movie together or draw a picture about your day. These are just a handful of enjoyable ways to talk with your child about important subjects. You might also find that some of the best chats happen around the dinner table.
When your child isn’t developing as quickly as others it can feel so disheartening, but it’s not the end of the world. Ultimately, you need to be positive, do some research on ActionMatters.org and think carefully about the steps you take. Don’t worry, stay calm and you will soon find the best outcome for your child.