Attentive Listening
Scripture
Mark 10:14, 16
“When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.'"
“And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them."
In The Dad Blessing, we stress the importance of attentive listening. Jesus listened to these children. Children love to talk, and they want to be listened to. The children wanted to come to Jesus. Why? I believe one reason is because they knew Jesus would listen and pay attention to them.Jesus took time for children. Regardless of your schedule or level of busyness, your child needs and must have your full attention, not only with your ears but with your eyes and entire body. You absolutely must take the time to listen to your child. That is an integral part of blessing your child. Letting your child talk about what he or she wants to will produce one of your greatest allies in the present and in the future. Listening to your children helps them grow into young men and women who respect their parents.To listen to your child will mean turning away from and off those things that distract you from listening to him or her. Be all in as you listen to and focus on your child.5 Ways to Attentively Listen to Your Child
- Work at focusing on your child when he is speaking. You are looking at and not
- Listen with your body, not just your ears. Children can tell if you are not fully engaged in listening to them.
- Put away your cell phone, computer, TV, or anything that will distract you while your child is trying to talk to you. Often I will turn my phone over so I can’t see who is texting or calling to demonstrate that the child is more important than any message you will receive on your cell phone.
- Don’t interrupt your child when he or she is talking to you.
- Ask your child questions and let him or her answer. Ask open-ended questions that require more than a yes or no answer. Engage them in conversation.
Listening to your child when he or she is young, will encourage them to listen to you when they are not-so-young. Wingmen, listen to your child. You might even learn something.