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Awareness, Child Centered Practices

The Power of Deep Listening: Nurturing Our Children’s Voices

Tom Cella | August 3 2023
2 min read

In the bustling world, we live in, amidst the noise of technology and the demands of daily life, the art of deep listening is increasingly hard to come by in our daily conversations and interactions.

Deep Listening

When we are deep listening we are intensely focussed on the words, behaviours and signals of the other person. We show genuine compassion and connection, leading to a more profound level of communication. In our fast-paced, ‘always on’ world, we overlook one of the most crucial aspects of nurturing the next generation – listening deeply to children and young people. Not just hearing their words, but taking the time to truly understand and value their thoughts, emotions, and perspectives.

Building Trust and Connection

Deep listening creates a safe and nurturing environment for children to express themselves openly and honestly. This fosters a sense of trust and connection between adults and children, in turn leading to healthier relationships and improved communication, and helping children to feel respected and heard.

Identifying Needs and Concerns

Children may not always communicate their needs in explicit terms. Deep listening allows us to pick up on subtle cues and identify underlying needs or concerns that might be bothering them. This understanding enables us to provide appropriate support and address their emotional, social, and academic needs effectively.

Strengthening Bonds

Deep listening is particularly important for parents, carers and trusted adults caring for children and young people. Taking the time to understand a child’s experiences, dreams, and fears strengthens the bond between adult and young people. It creates a strong foundation of trust and support.

Mind Of My Own helps Practitioners to build bonds with young people by giving them the tools to express how they are feeling, in their way and in their own time. Practitioners can receive uncontrived, authentic thoughts and feelings from the young people they support, and can now even respond to them, acknowledging that they have been heard. For many, Mind Of My Own is an invaluable tool that lays the foundations of trusted and informed relationships across services designed to support children to thrive.

Our capacity to listen deeply today will shape a generation of compassionate, confident, and resilient adults tomorrow.