Question: When's the last time you put the old fireman's adage to use? Stop. Look. and Listen! This month's challenge is to put it to the ultimate test. 24 hours=1,440 minutes. Spend 10 UNINTERRUPTED minutes of your day Listening to your child. The challenge becomes tricky if you have a multi-kid household, but even then the math is simple. 10 x The # of children in your home. If you must divide the time with another adult or older sibling, then by all means... please do so. All too often we get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget to just stop, look, and listen to those dearest to us. If we as adults are swept away in the busyness, what of our children?? Take 10 minutes out of your hectic day. My guess is you'll be surprised at how much they have to say & how much you don't know. The sessions may go a little slowly at first. Don't be discouraged. Not only is this a 'talking' challenge, it's also an 'observation' challenge. As parents sharpen their listening skills, unspoken observations will become more clear. Children know when someone genuinely cares and eventually they will verbally open up.
*Because this challenge may be difficult to achieve on a daily basis, set 3 days aside each week. Mark it on your calender. Child(ren) and Parent/Caregiver alike will begin to look forward to that sacred time. So Take 10 to Stop. Look. and Listen.
AEF President & Founder-- Katandra Shanel Jackson Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment