subject: Establishing Healthy Communication With Your Kids [print this page] If you want to have open communication lines with your children, you have to do more than just talk. Establishing effective communication with your kids means you have to make sure that whatever it is that you are saying gets through your kids. Effective communication happens when you are sure that your kids understand what you are trying to tell them.
Effective communication between child and parent happens when there is a healthy exchange of thoughts, ideas, and emotions between two parties - between you and your child. Actually, the most stressful part when it comes to building effective communication with children happens when the reach adolescence.
If you think that because your relationship with your child has always been great you will not get affected by the raging hormones of adolescence, well you are wrong. That is why most parenting experts suggest that parents equip themselves with knowledge and with ideas on how to handle their teens should they do the unexpected.
Start as early as possible - while still a baby, express feelings of security and love to your child. Continue doing it as your child grows in order to strengthen the lines of communication between you and your child. But then again, this is easier said than done. You should encourage your child to be expressive while still at a young age.
You need to understand that children are always seeking for their parents' attention. So if one day your child runs to you across the room all excited about telling you something, do not be rude and cut him off with an irritated tone - doing so will crush your child's enthusiasm. Instead of also taking your child's statements personally, try to look at the bigger picture.
You have to realize that children are not yet equipped with a good sense of self control. That is why during arguments, if your child tells you something rude, do not take it against you. Kids find it very easy to blurt out hurtful things when they feel stressed or upset. When this happens, remind them to be respectful and to be polite.
Doing that does not only correct your child's disrespectful behavior, you are also setting a good example of having self control. You do not want your kids to hate you, but you also do not want them to seek guidance and affection someplace else.
Taking things personally will prevent you from establishing good communication with your children. Children go through a lot of changes, and they need you to understand them. Do not read into everything they say or do, that is the least that you can do to help.
