Patriot Peek at the Week News

In September, we will continue working on an important social skill…Listening! It seems like such an easy skill to master but even as an adult I find myself needing to practice and be more conscious as I listen to others. Back to school is a great time to review our listening skills. We’ve spent our summer out of the classroom and sometimes it can be a rough transition back to our school routine. Like any skill, listening takes practice. Encourage your child to be a respectful listener at home by reminding them to look at you while you’re speaking, to keep their voice quiet until it is their turn to speak, to focus on what you’re saying, and to save questions for after you speak if they don’t understand. It’s also important to model good listening skills for our children. I find myself sometimes “listening” to my children but at the same time I only hear “wah, wa-wah wa” because I am distracted by other thoughts and tasks. Taking time to model looking at your child as they speak, not interrupting, and showing them you’re interested in what they’re saying is a simple way to teach your children how to be good listeners.

Here is a super easy activity to do with your child. It’s quick and perfect for time spent in the car or even at the dinner table.

• Give your child a list of items. (For example, maybe colors or cartoon characters for younger kids, types of candy or sports teams for older kids. You will want to do a shorter list for younger kids and challenge the older kids with a longer list).

• See how many they can recall.

• Challenge them to remember more each time.

• Have your child test your listening too!

Listening is the foundation of successful learning at school and is also the key to having successful relationships both in school and at home.