Talking to children

I love talking to children. They are always so excited to share what they have to say. I feel a buzz going right through me every time children tell me their stories. I have the best job as a speech pathologist and as a children’s birthday party magician. Children feel they can share their thoughts and their ideas with me. I always create a safe zone where children are encouraged to talk without fear of being dismissed.

How do I do this? I get face to face with the child and then follow his/her lead and interest by OWLing. I OWL in my clinics. I OWL in my volunteer work. I even OWL in my magic shows. What is OWL? Observe. Wait. Listen. (See It takes two to talk, and Learning Language and Loving it; http://www.hanen.org)

Observe- I observe what the child is doing, and pay close attention to what he/she is interested in, doing, or what  his/her body language is saying. Be interested in what he/she is interested in.

Wait- I stop talking, lean in and smile to show I am interested in what he/she is saying. Sometimes, I wait up to 10 seconds just to make sure that he/she has enough time to think about what to say. It may feel awkward but waiting shows you care about what he/she wants to say.

Listen- I remain quiet, smiling, and nodding in response to what he/she tells me. I pay close attention to his/her words, his/her tone, and then when it’s my turn to speak, I acknowledge what he/she has told me and add a comment to show my interest. Sometimes, I use a checking question just to make sure I heard him/her right.

If you feel your child has something important and special he/she wants to tell you, try OWLing. You will be amazed by how magical your child responds. Let me know if this has been helpful by leaving a comment.