Teaching Children Healthy and Effective Communication is Important at All Ages

Hi friends,
 

     Today’s Education Blog by DUO Inspirations isn’t going to be about anything academic.  It may be argued that the topic of today’s post is meant for parents alone.  However, colleges teach courses on communication strategies and tactics, why not think that elementary schools or high schools can do the same?  Also, communication is an important skill that many of us are not taught, because our parents didn’t think of it or didn’t have the skill themselves.

     I don’t mean just talking and saying words.  I am talking about healthy and effective ways to speak.  Often, we don’t know or think about how we say something.  Although, most of us tend to recognize that two people will ask for basically the same thing in two different ways and one person will get it and the other not.

     Communication isn’t just the words we speak, but also the tones, mannerisms, behaviors, and all that goes with them.  Some teachers and parents may already do this, but I think that teaching healthy and effective communication skills to children should be a widespread and integral part of any upbringing and schooling.

     Even very young children, if put in a way that is at their level, will understand that the need to communicate in a healthy and effective way.  Role-playing in conjunction with some basic conversation might be helpful.  For, example, if you first role-play shrieking, trying to grab something, saying, “Give me _____.  I want it!”  Then, you role-play, saying in a nice, warm tone of voice, “I would like the ___________.  Could you give it to me, please?”  Many times, a child will understand that the latter is kinder and will more times than not be more effective than the former.  Even a young child will understand that it “feels” better, even if he or she really can’t understand or communicate why it feels better.  Young children can sense, if not understand, that it “feels” better to have someone speak with you in a kind and pleasant voice with kind words than to have someone try to grab at you and shriek at you in a loud and unpleasant voice with unkind words.

     Healthy and effective communication includes many things and this is only a very basic and general point on just one part of it.  However, I hope it is enough to get you thinking of the importance and viability of teaching it to people from a very young age through all ages.

Now, it is your turn.
     Do you teach healthy and effective communication skills as part of your class or homeschooling?  What are some things that are encompassed in healthy and effective communication skills?  At what age do you feel healthy and effective communication should be taught?  Do you think that healthy and effective communication should be taught in school as a course, in the home, both, etc.?  Would you like an entire blog series on teaching healthy and effective communication to children?  I look forward to your thoughts.

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Please note:
     Education Blog by DUO Inspirations has been weekly up to this point.  My plan at the moment is to go from weekly to first and third Wednesdays through July or August.  At that point, I will re-evaluate the situation and see what the most effective use of my time seems to be and how I can bring you the most value.  Please, keep me and that focus in your prayers.  Also, if you have questions, comments, or suggestions, as well as requests for specific topics, products, or services, please feel free to comment or contact me.  Thank you.

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