ACTIONS THAT SAY, “YES, I AM THE ADULT.”

Engage, listen and calmly respond:
- Encourage our children’s voices by asking to hear them.
- Listen intentionally to what they are saying. Be curious without taking over.
- Communicate that it’s ok for them to feel how they do.
- Respond kindly and calmly.
This process communicates that we value what our children have to say and we can handle hearing anything they share with us. Children struggle when they are afraid to express themselves in their own family. But when they can speak up and their parent can calmly listen and respond, children feel worthy and thus, safe to be vulnerable. As a result, our relationship becomes stronger and more peaceful, and they learn to communicate as an adult in all relationships.