Blog: Observing Communication<p>
A few days ago I observed a mother and her child in the grocery
store having trouble communicating with each other. The toddler was very upset
and hysterical. You could see the mother was getting very flustered and trying
to calm the child. She paused then calmly asked “what's wrong” and searched for
an injury. The child became more upset. The mother then held the child close
and eye to eye she said “Are you hurt? The child shook NO. “Are you thirsty?
The child shook NO. “Are you hot? The child shook NO. The mother then calmly
said “I don't know what is wrong please tell me so I can fix it”. The child
then calmed down a little and thru the sobbing muttered I can’t find my
sticker. I was very impressed that the mother remained calm and really went
down the child's level to find what was causing the fuss. I could see this
interaction was soothing to the child. I think interactions like the one I
witnessed will help the child learn affective communication in the future. I
learned that although the loss of a sticker seems small to an adult in a
child’s eyes it is a big ordeal. I think in our day to day lives we often
forget just how important little things are to children. By the mother really
trying to figure out what was wrong and not yelling at the child, I feel it
help the child to calm down and be able to let the mother know what was upsetting
them. When we communicate with young children we need to always remember to get
eye level with the child and stay calm which then helps the child to know you
are not upset and it has a calming effect and they will then be able to tell
the mother or adult what is bothering them.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteThe mother mentioned in your observation did a great job of communicating with her child. I think getting down on the same level as the child is so important. It immediately helps the child connect with you and gives them the message that they matter. You are correct when you say, as adults we tend to overlook the small things that matter a lot to little children. This mother also took the time to support her child in expressing what was wrong. The matter was probably solved far more quickly than had the mother ignored her daughter, or lost her temper, or showed frustration at the child's behavior. May we all remember to keep calm, listen, and engage respectfully with the children in our lives.
Susan,
ReplyDeleteI think the mother handled the situation very well. In most situations if there is nothing wrong with the child and they seem not to be hurt in anyway the parent will not listen and may tell them to be quite.
Excellent observation.
ReplyDeleteIt is so important to get on eye level with children; if you are on their level, you are treating them as an equal. If you are standing in front of a child towering over them, they will be less inclined to communicate. Thanks for sharing.
Chastity