Sue Scheff: LISTEN - Are you hearing what your teens are saying?

Parenting can be challenging and you will hear over and over again communication is key.  Key to many topics including teaching your children the dangers of substance abuse, navigating social networking, talking to strangers, the conversation of sex, and much more. 

Listening is a skill that doesn't come easy to many people, however parents especially need to use their ears and eyes to not only hear but to listen to their kids. 

Family Education has some great reasons and advice to enhance your listening skills.  Take the time to review them and become a better parent to your children and even your own friends.

• Listening carefully is how you gather information about what's going on in your child's life and head.
• Listening effectively builds strong relationships.
• Listening thoughtfully shows respect.
• Listening is always the first step in solving problems.
• Listening to your child's perspective will teach you a lot. Kids are smarter than most grown-ups think, and they generally know what they need. Listen to your kids, and they will teach you how to raise them.
• If you want your child to listen to you, you'll need to first listen to her. A child who is lis-tened to learns how to listen. And until she learns how to listen to you, it's the same as telling your problems to the bathroom mirror—no matter how eloquently you express yourself, nobody will be hearing you but you.

Here are the keys to improve your listening skills:

• Listen first.
• Always listen.
• Create a special time and place for listening.
• Use active listening.

In our busy lives it is not always easy to find the time to really listen, but make is a point to make the time for your children.  You will reap the rewards later.  Those few minutes now will be years of success later.

There's only one rule for being a good talker: Learn to listen. - Family Education

Be an educated parent, you will have healthier teens.

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