June 2019
Communicating With Our Children
As a young child, I heard stories about the very first time my father used a pay phone (it was to ask my mother out on a date!), the first time my grandfather bought a family car, and the first time my parents went to see a "talking picture" (movie with sound).
I felt certain that the differences between my parents’ generation and my own would be far greater than the differences between my generation and my children’s.
Hah – guess again!
The world has changed very much, and the rate of change is getting faster and faster. Young children and their families have essentially remained the same, but the environment they exist in has changed drastically.
Lessons and wisdom that applied years ago are no longer applicable. Nonetheless, the underlying values that guided the wisdom remain the same.
Nearly two decades ago, Dr. Wendy Mogel, clinical psychologist, published, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee." The book took from the wisdom of the Torah and the Talmud, and quickly became a resource for an entire generation. Mogel developed a framework for parents to use to look at their own families and support their c
hildren’s growth.
Last year, Dr. Mogel published "Voice Lesson for Parents, What to Say, How to Say It and When to Listen." The book emphasizes the importance of the art of communication as we talk with our children. She writes about the tone and tenor of voice, the language we choose, and the need to simply talk more.
While technology has changed the way we communicate, we must be mindful that our young children still need the same kind of deep human connection that my grandparents needed. The book gives sound, solid advice on how to communicate with the people we love the most.
It was a great honor to hear Wendy Mogel speak at the Paradigm Project conference this year in Chicago. She shared stories, observations, and sound wisdom with hundreds of early childhood educators from around the world. She spoke beautifully and passionately, telling all of us that we “need to be captivated by our children and enchanted by their enchantment."
No matter the year, the day, the time, may we all be captivated and enchanted by our children.
