Effective Communication With Children
- jessicaaqian
- Nov 6, 2024
- 2 min read
Listening attentively, understanding, and responding to the child
Importance of Effective Communication
Influences a child's development in language skills, self-expression, and self-esteem.
Creates a sense of being supported, understood, builds relationships.
Impacts a child's development in creating social relationships.
Ways To Communicate
Provide choices
Non-verbal Cues
Acknowledge feelings
Aim to build self-esteem when communicating
1. Provide Choices
Whenever a chance arise, provide the opportunity for children to exercise their autonomy.
This can look like:
Allowing them to express their wants and interests
Providing open-ended questions instead of yes/no
Impact:
Allows them the opportunity to articulate their thoughts
Demonstrates that you believe in them
Builds their confidence
2. Non- Verbal Cues
Our actions speak louder than words
Non-verbal cues:
Speaking at their eye level
Mindful of tone - especially when emotionally charged
Impact:
Children are often learning through observation
Role-modelling after you, they pick up behavioural habits without you knowing
3. Acknowledge Their Feelings
Validating their feelings gives them a chance to identify what they are feeling and helps resolve future conflicts.
A tantrum could provide the opportunity for introspection by helping them identify their feelings instead of providing attention.
4. Aim to Build Self-Esteem When Communicating
Why is it Important?
Self-esteem is important from a young age as it enables children to believe in, and accept themselves for who they are.
Individuals with high self-esteem as a child tend to have high self-esteem when they are older.
Self-esteem refers to how much one values themself and is an essential part of everyday life
How to Build Self Esteem?
Nurtured with encouragement and opportunities to explore
Exploration is important for children to make mistakes, learn, and improve themselves.
Instead of reprimanding their mistakes, it is important to focus on what they can do next and offer words of encouragement.
Other ways to build self esteem:
Self-help skills can help children be more confident in their abilities and build independence. Learning self-help skills allow children to be independent and less reliant on others.
Positive encouragement and patience is important in providing confidence of the child's actions.
Opportunities to Build Self Esteem:
Giving responsibilities or tasks to your child can validate and make the child feel valued at the same time.
These tasks can include cleaning up, doing dishes, and watering the plants. Giving choices and opportunities for children to exercise autonomy builds their confidence.
Written by: Elaine Goh | Designed by: Ng Ray | Edited by: Xavierlyn Tan
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