My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. -- James 1:19
We want to teach our children that listening means hearing and understanding, and therefore obeying joyfully'the first time. Listening is also a way of demonstrating respect. God gave us two ears and one mouth for that reason.
Since our lives are busy and we often are on the phone or having guests over, we need to establish a proper way for our children to approach or interrupt us. They need to know that we will listen to them shortly and that they need to be patient while they wait. For us, acting out scenarios like how to politely interrupt us when on the phone, in a study or in conversation with another adult, has been very helpful. This has helped our children to feel secure because they know a way to communicate and to be patient. It gives us the ability to have a conversation with an adult that can be uninterrupted.
We also believe that this is a part of a large idea of teaching our children respect and self-confidence through looking at people's eyes when they are talking to them. Even when my son Sammy was in nursery school, his teacher noted how Sammy looked her in the eyes when she greeted him in the class.
--Tom Franz
