Connecting Through Communication

As Oprah Winfrey says - “Great Communication begins with Connection”. A connection with fellow humans is one of the things that has been impacted the most due to the pandemic and the lockdowns that we experienced. Especially for children and adolescents where their opportunities for interacting with their peer group and opportunities to socialize were limited to just to their immediate family members. Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, children have spent a significant time on their e-devices which has further impacted their skills of communicating by using their words. It is therefore imperative that we focus on the importance of verbal communication in this age of technology and support children to develop their communication skills. 

 Research indicates that there are significant psychological implications for underdeveloped communication skills. On the other hand individuals with effective communication skills tend to be happier as they are able to ask for what they need and do not end up feeling frustrated. When children are unable to communicate effectively, they express themselves through tantrums, anger outbursts, or disruptive behaviours that might make it difficult for caregivers to understand their needs and add on the child’s frustration. We can avoid a situation like this by modelling effective communication skills for children and enabling them to express their needs. 

 Parents can help children develop and improve their communication skills at all ages but the sooner we begin, the easier it is both for parents and children and it helps them develop healthy interpersonal relationships. Good communication involves listening and talking to children in ways that make them feel important and valued. So the first step in this direction would be to give exclusive attention to your children while speaking to them. Avoid looking at your mobile, laptop, or TV while communicating with children. This shows that you are completely focused on the conversation and are paying attention to what your child wants to share. By doing so we are also being a good role model for teaching children the importance of maintaining eye contact during a conversation. Set a good example of listening by letting your child finish talking before you respond. Encourage children to talk about what they are feeling and thinking. When they do so, respond in a sensitive manner so that their feelings are validated and they feel comfortable talking to you about things that matter to them. 

 Avoid having stiff body language when communicating with children. Children are able to understand our non-verbal communication much more than we think they do. An approachable body language would show the child that you are interested in what your child wants to share with you. Also involving children in a conversation by asking their opinion is a great idea. By doing this we are valuing their opinion and giving them the confidence to express themselves without any inhibitions. Communicating your feelings often during regular conversations helps children develop a vocabulary for feelings and at the same time serves as an opportunity to bond together and strengthen the parent-child relationship. 

 Let’s connect with our children and make communication a regular habit. After all, when we are used to communicating with each other about the regular day to day affairs, it is only then that communicating about the bigger issues becomes easier and children do not hesitate to approach us for support as they know in their heart of hearts that no matter how big the issue is we would understand them as parents and be there to support them.