5 Tips to Improve Communication with Your Child

Many parents feel that communicating with their child can become a struggle. Something to keep in mind; a child’s brain can keep only four ideas in short-term memory at one time (even less in younger children). With our Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti’s 5 tips to improve communication, you’ll be on the fast track to smoother days with your child!

According to Psychology Today, the four most common methods to avoid in communicating with children are the following:

1. Talking too much
2. Nagging
3. Listening poorly
4. Failing to apologize

Here are a few suggestions to try in your communication with your child:

1. Limit the conversation (short and simple) – this helps them absorb the information better.
2. Allow your child to manage the situation better by loosening the reins (give choices you both would accept).
3. Try turning off your electronic devices when you come home from work.
4. Set an example on how to fess up after making a mistake and learn the proper way to apologize. State the mistake, apologize, and explain how to improve the relationship/situation.
5. Limit tasks – younger children may only retain 2-3 things at a time. Good rule of thumb is one task for every year old for 5 years and younger.

Give these recommendations a try. Your child will be more responsive and you will strengthen your parent-child relationship at the same time.

If you decide to try some of these things with your child, we’d like to know how it works for you. In addition, are there any other alternatives that already work for you that you’d like to suggest to other parents? Please let us know in the comments!

We hope this information will help you become more aware of your parent-child interactions. At Little Angels Preschool in Ypsilanti, we are dedicated to our students’ health and well-being.