We all want nothing but the best for our kids… and this is where our role as parents comes in! Equipping them with the necessary skills they need to achieve success and happiness in their lives is a big part of our job as parents.
The first place to start is “Effective communication”, which is a key life skill!
Prophet Muhammad for example, (pbuh) was the most eloquent; He spoke in such an effective and positive way that made people love listening to Him. He (pbuh) also listened to people attentively and with respect in such a way that others also loved talking and opening up to Him. That’s why, Islam’s objectives of harmony, respect, and peace could not be conveyed if it weren’t for clear communication.
Instilling effective communication skills in our kids at an early age is of great importance. It helps them express themselves clearly and convey their feelings in a better way. It also boosts their social IQ and helps them build healthier relationships. Moreover, it facilitates their learning process, making it easier to exchange and comprehend information with and from others.
Here are some basic communication skills that every kid should learn and develop as a start!
1- Making eye contact with the person they are talking to.
This is a sign of showing interest and respect for the other person.
2- Learning to speak clearly and correctly.
Correcting their pronunciation and grammatical mistakes smoothly is the key at this point.
3- Mastering the art of joining a conversation.
As parents or guardians, we should teach our kids how to join a conversation smoothly and politely. we should also guide them to respect the person who is talking and not to interrupt an ongoing conversation.
Luckily, like any other skill, our kids’ communication skills can be improved with practice and activities BUT how can we do this as parents? The following tips are a good start, insha’Allah.
1- Initiate and encourage conversations and discussions whenever possible.
2- Listen to them attentively and make sure you understand them right.
3- Read stories together to expand their vocabulary and enhance their cognitive abilities.
4- Coach them to respect the rights of others in a conversation by “taking turns”.
Also, these 3 popular activities and games are great ways to add fun and joy while you’re at it!
1- The telephone game
This game is a great way to enhance listening skills. It is fun and the whole family can play together. We start by sitting in a circle, then a person whispers a message into the ear of the player sitting on his/her right, who then whispers it into the ear of the player sitting on his/her right as well, and so on until we reach the last person in the circle. This person reveals the message out loud.
It’s really fun; kids can start with a simple message and gradually progress to more complex ones.
2- Picture Storytelling
This game is a highly creative one! It starts by providing kids with a set of pictures and asking them to arrange the pictures in a logical sequence. We can then ask them to create a story out of those pictures. Also, asking them to describe the details on these pictures: the colors, scenery, ideas, and so on adds more to this great game.
3- 20 Questions
This is a perfect game where you have kids stand in a circle, while one of them stands in the middle. This kid in the middle should then think of a famous place, person, etc.. The other kids in the circle try to identify this famous place or whatsoever by asking a set of 20 questions; to which he can respond only with “yes” or “no”.
And, the list goes on… May Allah (swt) protect them all and guide us in raising them properly and in overcoming the challenges we face with wisdom, amen.
