LISTEN to KIDS!

Whether it is parenting, or teaching, I have to remember to be a better listener.  Today a boy while doing small group work wanted to tell me a story about something that happened to him maybe 2 years ago in middle school.  The story and conversation we had was bit bloated, maybe 3-4 minutes that when other groups are working is hard to justify, especially when it didn't pertain to the assignment at hand.  But I listened and then we discussed what to do next time he is teased.

I have to admit that in times past I would have been in a hurry to get on to another group and would have dismissed this boy and his story, but this phrase (LISTEN TO KIDS) has been recently implanted in my brain and it's critical.

This morning I left for school with my ten year old son crying because of a toothache.  Neither my wife or I had a lot of time for him this morning besides telling him to chew on the other side and give him a pain reliever.  When I got to the car I thought that the correct response would have been with my son to hold him and say,  "I'm sorry", because a pain shared is a pain divided.  Or something like that.

Consider the ears on the deer pictured above.  Why so big?  Hearing a twig snap could save it's life.  Our ears are smaller but no less important.  What we hear is designed to help us.  In the case of a teacher, parent or friend, we can also help others with an appropriate response after taking time to listen.