Do You Hear What I Hear?

“The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.” ~Henry David Thoreau

The art of listening to another person (I mean truly listening) is a something that takes time to develop, but does more for building relationships than anything else.  We often hear what others are saying, but don’t take the time to truly listen.  Listening and asking questions related to what people are saying shows others we are interested in them as whole people, not just for our own interests.

Do you ask your children questions and listen in a way that shows you are truly interested in what they are saying?  Many parents have realized they ask their children questions about things they (the parents) want to know right away, as opposed to what interests their children first.  Do you truly need to know the answer to how your child did on the math test as soon as he/she gets home or can you ask some questions about the parts of the day you know are interesting to your child and truly listen to the answers?  When we ask those questions first, it puts value on the child as a person and our interest in him or her, not on how the child does on a test or assignment.  When individuals feel we are interested in them as humans, they feel more valued. 

Stephen Covey wrote, “To truly listen means to transcend your autobiography, to get out of your own frame of reference, out of your own value system, out of your own history and judging tendencies, and to get deeply into the frame of reference or viewpoint of another person.”  Try listening to your children and others around you in a new way.  You may find it strengthens your relationships with them by showing them how you value human being over human doing. 

First Graders are working on their writing.  With the weather being so cold, they imagined what they would do if they were trapped in a snow globe.  While living in Minnesota may feel like being trapped in a snow globe to adults in the winter, students had some creative ways to escape their globes (and they didn’t involve flying to a warmer climate).  See the pictures below for a few samples.

Have a wonderful week!
Mrs. Baier