Children vs Adults

The giggles. That cute squeaky voice. Ohh, the adorable-ness of children. If only they weren’t so complicating. One thing that is certain is that adults don’t’ think like kids anymore. (some still do, but that’s a different case la. Lol) Which brings me to my point:

Perception is the ability to look at or understand something in a particular way. It greatly affects how we communicate with others. A child’s perception of the world differs from an adult. Sometimes, we tend to forget how naïve they can be. It’s often not easy to communicate with children. They go on and on, sometimes not quite making sense. They can be funny then suddenly turn so annoying and irritating, you just want them to shut up. The worst is when they ask or say random things that leave you speechless.

However, all is not lost. There are several ways to make communication with these little angels less troublesome:

#1. Be interested. Yup, even if it is about some scary monster or the abominable snowman. Fear of certain imaginary things is common for them and as adults, we should show interest in what they think and feel. Then, we can try to help them overcome their fear. Once that’s done, no more noise. Good, eh?

#2. Avoid dead-end questions. Ask children the kinds of questions that will extend interaction rather than cut it off. In simple words, don’t ask stuff that only leads them to say “yes” or “no”. Conversation is extended when kids describe, explain and share their ideas.

#3. Share your thoughts. Share what you are thinking with your child. For instance, if you are puzzling over how to rearrange your furniture, get your child involved with questions such as, "I'm not sure where to put this shelf. Where do you think would be a good place?" Be warned, though. Sometimes their ideas can be crazy too!

#4. Reflect feelings. One of the most important skills good listeners have is the ability to put themselves in the shoes of others. In other words, empathize with children. Reflect on a child's feelings by commenting, "It sounds as if you're angry at your math teacher." Restating or rephrasing what children have said is useful when they are experiencing powerful emotions that they may not be fully aware of.

P/s: At the same time, remember not to confuse them. They're still kids, you noe?

Resources:
http://www.funnytimes.com/cotw/cotw_tag_result.php?tag=kids
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content2/How_Can_Parents_Model.html#credits

*kamilia*