Episode 267: The Art of Listening: How to Help Your Child Feel Heard, Understood, and Connected with Christine Miles
/What happens when we think we're listening to our children, but we're actually just hearing their words—or waiting for them to finish so we can respond?
In this practical and insightful episode of The Balanced Parent Podcast, I am joined by Christine Miles, psychologist, educator, author, and creator of The Listening Path, to talk about the vital skill of active listening and why it's something we need to intentionally teach, practice, and model for our children.
Christine and I explore the difference between hearing and listening, why so many misunderstandings happen when we're only getting part of the story, and how simple listening tools can help us achieve deeper connection and understanding with our kids.
Here are the topics we covered:
The difference between hearing, listening, and understanding
Why listening is a skill we need to intentionally teach and practice
Christine's three-step Listening Path: get it, affirm it, and find the meaning
Why kids often start conversations in the “middle of the movie”
How “Take me back to the beginning” can help uncover the full story
Using “Tell me more” to encourage children to open up
Listening for both facts and feelings
Helping children build a richer emotional vocabulary
Why confusion can be a helpful signal when we're listening
How to respond when we get our child's feelings or experience wrong
Why listening is about seeking to understand, not getting it right
How to listen before jumping in with advice
Teaching listening skills through storytelling, practice, and modeling
Using listening skills to create more alignment and understanding in everyday parenting
You can connect with Christine Miles and learn more about The Listening Path at thelisteningpath.com.
Tune in to learn simple ways to become a more intentional listener and help your children develop this powerful skill, too.