How to Talk & Listen

How to Talk & Listen

I love being a mom and treat my job like a corporate position. As such, I love taking courses and attending talks as ongoing education if you will.

This book, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish, has been mentioned by at least three different speakers covering different topics regarding the raising of children. Hearing about it so much, and reading the title a number of times in articles about parenting, I couldn't resist buying it.

The title is long, but really, it's what I, as a mom of two preschoolers, wants to do; talk in a way that they will listen and listen in a way so they'll talk to me now and in their teen years, when kids tend to basically go mute and only utter monosyllabic responses.

I'm currently on chapter three and so far, I want to embody this book! I want my kids to read it one day when they're adults and to ask themselves "Did my mom write this book?"

The authors suggest the reader treat the book like a workbook, filling in blanks and answering questions. I haven't done this -- I'm lucky to have time to read! But I love the way it's written and you'd think I'd be tired of reading illustrated books, but I really, really like the cartoons that help me visualize and imagine how a scenario would normally go and how they would ideally go. I also enjoy reading about other parents' challenges, trials and successes.

I love reading mysteries, who-done-it's, and just plain humor, but once I start reading this book at night it's difficult for me put it down! Especially after implementing some of the ideas presented by Faber and Mazlish. I've got to say that every single technique has worked! So I'll keep on reading and becoming a better listener and talker.