Won’t Listen Your child listens the first time to your request and follows your directions, as well as learns good listening skills that will help him pay attention and recall information. Question: “I know my son can hear perfectly well, but whenever I talk he becomes ‘selectively deaf.’ I’m tired of telling him again and again what I want him to do. How can I get my child to listen to me?” Answer: Make a pledge that you will not repeat yourself. Then get down to your child’s level (if he’s still smaller than you) and tell—don’t ask—what you want done so that it is short and to the point. It’s helpful to start with the word “The” so that your kid’s ears hear exactly what you want him to do. “The blocks need to be picked up.” “The TV needs to be turned off.” Once you say your request and you’re sure your child understands (you can ask him to repeat what you just said), then expect your child to listen and comply each and every time. Why Change? “Why don’t you listen?” “That’s the fourth time I told you!” “Didn’t you hear anything I just said?” If you’re frustrated in trying to get your kid to listen, take heart: you’re not alone. Parents magazine polled moms and dads about their toughest discipline challenge, and the hands-down winner was “My kid doesn’t listen to me.” There is an art to asking your kids to do something. The way you ask greatly influences the way they respond. The fact is, learning to give directions so kids will listen takes practice. And breaking a child’s bad listening habits takes work and patience. Improving your kid’s listening skills will benefit every arena of his life—school performance, relations with friends, job performance, and family harmony. Many experts say that learning to listen is one of the most crucial habits our children need for handling life. Parenting for this change lays the foundation that fosters respectful communication as well as the acquisition of new knowledge. A.R Yasminmubarak