The Power of Connection: Assignment 2

Pick at least one of the following listening tactics and try it for a week:

1. Bite your tongue – literally, if that’s what it takes. When you are quiet, they will fill the space.
2. Think about what your face is saying. What about your body language?
3. Focus on the words. Try to really hear what they are saying, free from judgment. Consider your own words more carefully.
4. Ask empathizing questions, and refrain from offering a solution.
5. Mirror. Simply repeating what your child is saying shows that you are paying attention, and it helps you understand more deeply.
6. Stop multitasking. Listening while on your phone or doing the dishes is not really listening. 

Check in with yourself in a week and reflect on how this tactic was effective.