Inculcating subpar communication skills in their children should be a top priority for parents. Knowing how to engage in an intelligent conversation can prove to be immensely helpful for children and adults alike. Being able to communicate their thoughts and feelings articulately can help boost one’s confidence and sharpen their mind. It also helps them be successful academically and professionally, as well as have a fulfilling social life.
How do you teach good communication skills to children?
It might seem confusing at first to teach necessary communication skills to your children, given their limited understanding and experience of life. However, it is an unavoidable task that is essential to good parenting. There are some helpful methods you can adopt to conquer this intimidating task. Some of them include:
Practice is key
The key to becoming an expert at anything is to practice as much as you can. Talk to your children a lot and engage them in interesting conversations with you to get their brains thinking. Educate them about everyday topics and ask what they think about them. This could be anything from what they learned at school that day to how their mood has been lately.
Ask their opinion
Not only is engaging them in conversations important, but it is also crucial to ask them for their opinions. They might not be able to do so in an articulate manner at first. However, with practice, they will get the hang of it. Once you let them know their opinion matters to you, they will try their best to make you understand their views.
Be a good role model
As a child, our minds are young and impressionable. Our biggest role models are our parents, the very people who protect and care for us from our first day on Earth. Communication skills for children become much easier when they see you following all the required communication skills yourselves.
Must-have Communication Skills for Children
There are, of course, more than a few communication skills that must be taught to children. However, there are a few that cannot be missed out on and are vital to a healthy conversation. Here is a list of the top communication skills for children:
Asking questions
One of the most important skills to keep the flow of a conversation going is to be inquisitive. Teach your children to ask interesting questions about whatever topic the conversation is based on. The questions should not be just basic yes or no questions. Instead, such questions are to be asked to which detailed and thoughtful answers can be given. This way, the discussion won’t run dry, and you will leave a lasting impression on the person you are conversing with.
Active listening
Making sure you can be a good listener is, perhaps, just as much, if not more, important than being an interesting speaker. When you can show that you are interested in what the other person is saying, it demonstrates your ability to be friendly and caring about the people in your life. Plus, you get to learn more about the person you are conversing with, which helps you get closer to them.
Speaking in a clear manner
It is one thing to be able to voice your ideas and feelings. It is entirely another to frame them in a manner that helps the person on the other end of the conversation understand you clearly. One must use good vocabulary and pronunciation to make themselves be understood the way one wants to be understood. Often, misunderstandings are a direct result of unclear dialogues that cause other people to perceive you incorrectly.
Maintain eye contact and speak with confidence
Maintaining eye contact can immediately give you an edge in the conversation by making you appear more confident and put-together. Being confident while talking makes you seem in control and aware of your thoughts.
Polite and empathetic conversation
Being respectful while talking to somebody is of the utmost importance. Your child needs to understand how essential it is to filter out their thoughts and only voice what is positive and will not hurt other people’s emotions. Teach your children how to understand other people’s feelings and respond accordingly to them.
Body language
Although being an expert at verbal communication is important, mastering non-verbal communication is just as crucial. Teach your children to sit up straight and always have a smile while talking. Moreover, incorporate hand gestures into the conversation, but not excessively. Try not to interrupt the person who’s talking, yawn, or make rude facial expressions, as these actions leave a bad lasting impression.
Conclusion
It is scientifically known that children learn best at a young age. Therefore, it is never too early to start when it comes to cultivating communication skills in children. Orator Academy is a great place to start if this task intimidates you. They provide one-on-one as well as group sessions to develop public speaking and communication skills for all age groups. Be sure to check us out if you wish to help your child develop their communication skills and their personalities.
