by L.S. Watts

Created on: April 04, 2010

Does your child seem to be ignoring you when you ask them to do something? Perhaps your child only hears what they want to hear? Many parents complain that their child just doesn’t listen to them but this doesn’t mean it is to be considered an acceptable behavior. Once you have ruled out an actual hearing problem, there are ways to help your child improve their listening skills and even comply with the request. Not only will this help at home, but also in the world outside the doors of your home.

The first step is to understand why your requests tend to go unheard, or why the child seems to only hear what they want to hear. To learn more about why some children won’t listen to parents and other adults, visit this website. From there you will know what steps you must take in order to help your child. Most parents don’t want to hear that the problem may lie with the parents themselves but in most cases it’s the parents’ approach that causes further decline in the child’s ability to listen and follow instructions.

An important point to remember is that children learn by example. If you aren’t a good listener, chances are the child won’t be either. Listening to your child and acknowledging their feelings and concerns not only shows them you care, but models good listening skills.

Before you can expect your child to listen, you must get his or her attention. For younger kids, this may mean getting down to the child’s level so eye contact can be made. Also keep in mind that if the child is busy doing something such as video games or watching television, they won’t be as likely to hear what you are saying. When it comes to interrupting the child, consider what they are doing and what you request. Is the child perhaps doing homework or other tasks that exhibit responsibility? Can your request or information you want to relay wait until the child comes to a stopping point?

Sometimes, especially with younger children, you may need to take them by the hand and lead them to the task you want them to do. Perhaps you just need to tell the child some news? Take him or her into another room and sit down with them before giving the news. This brings them away from distractions so they can be more focused on what you have to say.  

Next, how you vocalize your requests are an important as well. If you are handing out orders at a loud volume or with anger and frustration, more often than not your child will

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