Nowadays, many children do not want to communicate with their parents. It’s not that they don’t want to talk, but they think they can’t communicate. If parents possess these 3 types, children will definitely be very happy.
Empathetic communication
Children who do not communicate often are a sign of lack of empathy from their parents. Empathy is the ability to understand and feel the emotions of others from their perspective. If parents understand their children and make them feel accepted, they will be ready to open up.
In order to communicate empathy, parents need to listen without rushing to comment. From there, help the child express their emotions and respect their desires.
Haim Ginot, an education expert, emphasized that understanding reduces loneliness and suffering for children, and the love children have for their parents will be deeper.
Communicating with children is not just about educating through words, but also deeply understanding their thoughts and emotions. Empathy is the key to unlocking the hearts of young children.
Trust-based communication
Many parents complain about their children’s dependency. For example, when faced with a difficult task, children immediately ask for help; when scolded by a coach, they refuse to train; or they give up in competitions because they worry about the results. Although parents often encourage them by saying, “You can do it,” the effectiveness is not high.
All children will experience both success and failure. Instead of criticizing, parents should remind children of previous difficulties they have overcome to enhance their confidence and courage. Breaking challenges into smaller parts will also help children become more confident with each small success.
Trust-based communication is not just about affirming “you can do it,” but also providing appropriate acceptance and support to help children develop inner bravery and believe, “I can do it.”
Appreciative communication
Nowadays, parents often give a lot of praise to their children, but children do not value it. It may be because the way of praising is not really appropriate. Genuine praise is not just words, but also combined with true emotions from the heart.
When praising a child, parents should emphasize specific strengths of the child, such as their choice and color combination in a painting. Besides, show genuine emotions when looking at the child’s work. This helps the child recognize their own value and progress day by day.
Praise should focus on the effort and process of the child, rather than just the results. For example, praise the child’s perseverance in practice, encourage the child to be proud of themselves. Such praise is not only an encouragement but also becomes a long-lasting belief for the child.
Children nurtured in an encouraging environment will develop a rich soul and gain the strength to face challenges in the future.