Zipping it to Listen Wholeheartedly

“Never miss a good chance to shut up.” ― Will Rogers⁠

 

Liberate yourself by saying less and listening to your own silence. It’s empowering to not have to have all the answers. Raising and educating children takes a lot of talking time for all of us. 

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Listening with our whole-heart. ⁠

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It's easy to go into rescue mode when you love your child and students so very much. It's easy to chime in, interrupt and help them out with what they are trying to share and express to you. Practise silencing yourself and getting curious to hear what's truly being said. ⁠

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For Parents⁠

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Today, give as much listening time to talking time. Listen with your whole heart. Feel the silence within your body when you do. Get curious. Notice how calm you feel and how everyone feels around you. Bend down and let your child do all the talking allowing them to fully express their story or feelings. If you feel the urge to jump in and talk you can respond with “tell me more.” “I hear you, tell more about that.” “Wow that sounds fascinating, tell me more.” ⁠

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For Educators⁠

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Have the children practise a 3 minute silence and reflection time. Afterwards journal or engage in rich conversations. How did silence make them feel in their body? What was their mind doing while they were quiet? How did being silent benefit us? Did you notice the energy in the room change? Was it calmer? Was it gentler? What are some descriptive words to explain what silence gave us?⁠