Monday, June 27, 2011

A friendly reminder (number 5)

I stumbled upon this quote earlier this week:

"Children don't need much advice but they really do need to be listened to and not just with half an ear." Emma Thompson

I read it a couple of times, really taking in what it said. Too often I'm distracted. Distracted by the TV, the internet, my phone, my iPod, my "to do" list. How easily I forget that I have a young boy, growing by the second it seems, just wanting to be heard. He says my name a hundred two hundred times a day, and each time he does, he wants my undivided attention. Whatever is on his mind is the most important thing in the world and whatever is holding my attention at that moment can wait. Eyes on him. Focused. Ready to listen, not with half an ear, but with both ears.

I've made it a priority to give him both ears, and so my friendly advice to you is to do the same. Listen with your ears and your heart. Listen and look them in the eyes. What they're saying is important, whether we realize it or not. One day we're going to wish we could have those moments back. When all they really wanted from us is to be heard.

No comments: