Importance of Parental Attention

Childhood success and proper social development are oftentimes synonymous with parental concern and involvement in child wellbeing. Parents dedicating sufficient time for family interactions and engaging in one-on-one communication with their children are not only more likely to strengthen the relationships with their children but also provide their children with the opportunity for adequate social development. Showing interest in your child’s life can be as easy as listening to what he has to say and asking about his day. Thomas Gordon, author of “Parent Effectiveness Training” proposes a process referred to as “active listening” to ensure positive and effective communication between child and parent. During active listening, the parent is encouraged to pay close attention to the child, ask questions, and ultimately relate in her own words the child’s message back to the child to assure accurate understanding of the conversational content. This is important because both child and parent may have different ways of expressing themselves verbally and may otherwise encounter misperceptions or misunderstood perspectives. When applying active listening, the parent is able to place herself in her child’s shoes and try to see the issue from her son or daughter’s point of view. Taking the time to understand your child can enhance a sense of caring felt by your child and eliminate disaccord.