Raising A "Listen to ME!"

Children. Need. Attention. 

They need your love. 

They need your applause.

They need your laughter.

They need you to look into their eyes and tell them the wonders you see.

They need you to hold their hand and walk s.l.o.w.l.y. taking in the sunshine, picking the flowers on the side of the path. 

They need you to conversate with them.

They also need to know that they don't always come before everyone else. 

The Bible is very clear about putting other before yourself and esteeming others more then yourselves. If you train your child to think that they can interrupt your conversations with other people whenever they need something (and you are training your child by what you don't allow them to do just as much as what you allow them to get away with!), you are training them to think that they are more important then everyone around them.


This can come in many different scenarios:

(1) When I am talking to a sibling of theirs and they butt into the conversation bringing the light on a different subject.

(2) When I am talking to another adult and they butt in to tell me something.

(3) When I am on the phone and a child starts trying to talk to me know that I am on the phone. 

Here is how we deal with a "Listen to Me" child:

(A) Explain why it's inappropriate to interrupt other's conversations and how they are putting themselves before everyone else.

(B) Explain how they can politely interrupt without interjecting in a conversation (placing their hand on your leg or shoulder until you are able to address them). Also explain that emergencies are an ACCEPTABLE reason to interrupt a conversation!

(C) Use every scenario as an opportunity to train your child how to apply the above. When at church talking with other people, when at home addressing a sibling, when you are conversing with your husband at home, and when you are on the phone with the doctor.