One of the most basic of human needs is the need to understand and to be understood.
Emotion Affects Listening
When our teen tells us about something that is bothering them it can affect our listening skills.
As parents our role as listener is to focus our attention on what our teen is saying and also on what our teen is not saying. Understanding our teen and the types of communication skills they use can help us to better help them. We need to be aware of body language — theirs and our own. We need to be able to ‘read’ the tone of our teen’s voice. Keep in mind that silence from our teens is another form of communicating. Silence can mean many things.
 Some speak ... and say nothing.Some are silent ... because they have nothing to say. Some are silent ... to listen. Some are silent ... so as not to tell the truth. Some are silent ... because they are afraid. Some are silent ... because they are proud. Some are silent ... and in their own way eloquent. - Davide Melodia |
Listening Affects Emotion
When our teen tells us about something that is bothering them it can affect our emotions.
As parents it can be difficult to ‘model good listening skills’ when our hearts may be crushed right along with our child’s.