Inspired By Listening

The following came home with my first grader the other day…and I can hardly wait to share. It is so simple, yet so easy to forget.

Every part of our body helps us listen.

- We hear sounds with our EARS.
- We think and decide with our MINDS.
- We keep our ARMS AND LEGS quiet and still when someone is talking with us.
- We move our BODY to face the person who is talking to us.
- We let our FEELINGS help us listen and care about what we hear.
- We keep our VOICES still when someone is talking, but then we answer back and talk when they are done.

I had to stop and reevaluate my own listening skills. How well am I modeling this to my kids? We all say we are good listeners, but are we? Are we truly present with our whole bodies? I am going to challenge myself to do better…for my friends, my family, but most of all for my little first grader…who taught his mom a thing or two this week.