Listen to me, my precious, I need to talk to you,
In return, I promise to listen to you.
This is what together we can do,
You listen to me & I to you.
I promise my full attention to you,
Go ahead pour it out & I’ll hear you out.
I’ll acknowledge all you say,
We may as well talk, like we play.
What I cannot bring to you,
I promise to gift with a wand of words.
With the wish to amuse & the right word use,
Let’s have fun with information.
I teach you about life,
You teach me how to have fun.
Maybe just a word or two,
One that’ll say all to you.
I won’t take long,
I promise not to sing the accusation song.
I’ll talk like a friend,
When words fail, with puppets in hand.
Let’s do it together,
Let’s do it with love,
Let’s learn,
Let’s laugh.
I’ll respect the silence that hangs in between,
But words come handy to clean,
The cobwebs of hurt, doubt & pain,
Helping us learn, love & gain.
——————————————————
We the parents so often complain our children don’t ‘listen to us’. Our children say the same about us. In a world where everyone wants to be heard but no one wants to listen, it is up to us parents to teach our children the art of listening without judging by practicing it ourselves. In my attempt at poetry, I’ve highlighted a few ways and means I try to make my 4-year-old listen to me.
* This post is part of the April A to Z Challenge 2016. My theme is Parenting.
Please find my other posts here.
Wonderful and a thoughtful one as well.
LikeLike
I’ve always felt getting children to listen is really tough, but only later did I realize that they think the same about us adults with our divided attention.
Thank you Parul 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really like this!
LikeLike
Thank you Juli 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoyed reading it 🙂
Yes many times parents only want us child to listen instead of listening to us …
So it will be better if both listen and both speak up.
Presentation lovely .
@dixita011 from
Cafenined words
LikeLike
Totally agree with you Dixita. Kids of all ages yearn to be listened to by their parents just like their parents expect them to.
Thank you dear 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful!
Just as we want our children to listen to us, they want us to listen to them too. Kids learn a lot from us grown ups and so if we are not prepared to listen to what they have to say, I don’t think it’s fair to even expect them to listen to us.
LikeLike
The day these thoughts trespass the premises of a parent’s mind, their relationship with their children changes completely 🙂
Thank you TH 😀
LikeLike
This is so wonderful! Tips in the form of a poem are more acceptable. Good going!
@yenforblue from
Spice of Life!
LikeLike
Thank you Archana 🙂
LikeLike
Oh yes .. not just parents and children this applies to all we know and care for.. sometimes all we have to do is just listen to them…
To put a smile on their face..
LikeLike
Being a good listener is a great virtue. It adds so much joy to the lives of the people around us. Only if we all could spend more time listening than speaking our minds 🙂
LikeLike
I teach you about life,
You teach me how to have fun…:)
There is so much to learn from each other… Very lovely poem! 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you dear elixired 🙂
LikeLike
Really, really beautiful! This was absolutely brilliant. A few words that carry so much weight! Singing the song of accusation, using puppets….too good! These lines not only apply to your 4YO but to children of all ages! Kudos!
@KalaRavi16 from
Relax-N-Rave
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel all kids love being listened to & with the same zeal despise being told “I told you so”.
Thank you so much Kala for the love ❤
LikeLike
Beautiful thoughts.
Richa.
LikeLike
Thank you Richa 🙂
LikeLike
This poem is beautiful. I do hope Pari reads it when she grows up. Or maybe she read it now? 🙂
These lines : “But words come handy to clean,
The cobwebs of hurt, doubt & pain,” are applicable for any relationship now, aren’t they 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree Fabulus, so many points here could very well be practiced in any relationship.
‘Being listened to’ is one thing the whole world wants, irrespective of their age 😀
Thank you dear ❤
LikeLike
Love the little insightful poem 🙂 More so as my lil one grows I find it harder to get her to listen and to Obey 😉 But I realise more and more that I have to be the change I want in her, it all starts with me the parent.
http://www.sunilavigauthor.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/lakshagraha-lacquer-palace-letter-l-to.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome to my blog 🙂
I agree we as parents have to change ourselves first to be able to play the role models our children would look up to in their growing years.
I’m glad you liked my poem. Would love to hear more from you 🙂
LikeLike
This one is brilliant. I love poems and this one is fabulous.
Ramya from Words & Me
LikeLike
Thank you Ramya 🙂
LikeLike
Listening is indeed the cornerstone of good parenting.
Excellent posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree 🙂
Thank you Inderpreet.
LikeLike
Wow! The first two lines, they steal the show .. Listening is truly an art and you have weaved it in a poem beautifully!
Great post 🙂
Cheers,
Srivi – AtoZChallenge
L for Lipstick | Twitter
LikeLike
Thank you Srivi 🙂
LikeLike
One of the best things that I love when I am with my mom is the conversations that we have. I feel so much better after talking to her and I like it when she talks to me too. She understands me better than anyone else could. Having such conversations is best for a parent-child relationship is what I feel .
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve explained it so wonderfully Reema 🙂
I couldn’t agree more that beyond being listened to, a child craves to hear from their parents how they perceive a situation and what they think should be done instead of just a nod or a ‘hmm’.
Listening is the first step but a heart-to-heart conversation is the real deal 😀
LikeLike
As a mother and lover of poetry, I am moved by this poem, by the wonderful message it conveys. Yes, so many times we hear but don’t listen. And their lovely little hearts know the difference. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You said it Silvia. All we do, is being carefully watched, heard and even learnt from by our children 24*7. It must be motivation enough for us parents to stop & rethink our actions from time to time.
Thank you 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know my mumma used to say that my sis doesn’t listens to whatever she says. But sometimes explaining and making them understand is something that would help only when the kid listens. Good Poetry that makes this post more beautiful
L- Love and Lies
LikeLike
I agree Stephen. I too am guilty of sometimes complaining that my child doesn’t listen to me. But lately, I have learnt that maybe I need to be a little more receptive to her need to be heard, her desire for more attention before expecting these from her.
Thank you for sharing your experience, every bit helps learning new lessons 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aww, that’s a lovely little poem, and so very true. I am conscious of the times when I only half-listen to my children, and so I try not to be too judgmental when they behave the same way in return… it is a challenge, I admit!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Being a parent is a daily challenge and though we try our best to give it a best shot, we do leave room for more thought here and there. Though it is only human to half-listen sometimes but having this goal to be patient listeners helps big time 🙂
Thank you Cynthia 🙂
LikeLike
awww. that poem… is just full of love. love that listens and not just speak on its own… just so lovely. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for the love Rosema 🙂
LikeLike
So true ! we don’t realise this in our lives… as I mentioned in my post, to love is to Listen 🙂
LikeLike
So true, “to love is to listen” and listen we must 🙂
LikeLike
Very true! In our house only one person is allowed to speak at a time and people have to wait until the conversation or exchange is over to talk. It makes having 3 boys talking all at once a little less stressful and then everyone is heard and everyone listens.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a wonderful policy Alyssa to ensure every child is heard and feels so too 😀
Thank you dear 🙂
LikeLike
O that is such a sweet wonderful poem and its straight from heart!
Cheers
Geets
LikeLike
Thank you so much Geetika 🙂
LikeLike
Very beautifully woven thoughts in poem. Worth thinking and understanding.
LikeLike
Thank you Kavita 🙂
LikeLike
Beautifully penned!
LikeLike
Thank you Shalzzz 🙂
LikeLike
Lovely. I think children are told what to do and how to be but never asked. I’m glad you’re bringing up your daughter in the most conscious manner, taking every single aspect seriously.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Maggie ❤
LikeLike
Pingback: Validation – The Era I lived in