Look Into Their Eyes

by Laura Barney
CLA Consulting

One very simple way to fill your child’s love cup……look at them when you talk to them.

I remember when my boys were little, I would always want to be sure they were listening when I told them something. And to do that, I would lightly touch their chin and turn their face toward mine and then say what I wanted to say. If they were too far away from me, I would say “look at me".

Later as they grew older and they wanted to make sure I was listening, they would do the same thing to me. They would turn my face toward them as they said “mom…".

Think about what you do with babies – it’s all about eye contact. It’s a major part of how we communicate our love to them. As your children grow older, however, we stop doing that.

When was the last time you looked at your child when they were trying to tell you something. Nobody likes to talk to someone’s back and yet, if you are in the kitchen doing the dishes, that is exactly what you are asking your child to do, same thing when we’re driving. So, be aware of what you are doing when they are talking and remind yourself to look into their eyes. Look at them when they are talking. This one very simple act will fill their love cup.

Article submitted Saturday, October 23, 2010 & read 62 times.

Laura Barney received her Master's in Public Health from Loma Linda University in 1997. Since then she has worked in the HIV/AIDS field in various capacities ranging from health educator to an administrator for the County HIV direct services to a pharmaceutical sales representative to currently a Virology Clinical Consultant with Monogram Biosciences, a company that specializes in blood tests that assist physicians to provide individualized care for each of their patients.

Her passion, however, is for the health - both emotional and physical -- of families and children, in particular. Helping parents help children is how she likes to think of it. In 2002 she developed a parenting curriculum which included many of the lessons she has learned along the way as the mother of three sons, Joshua - 24, Matthew - 17 and Andrew - 15.

www.howsyourlovecup.blogspot.com

www.comidasanafamiliasana.blogspot.com

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» left by Jennifer Stewart (1 year 210 days ago.)

I love what you say here. When you look in somebody's eyes you focus on them, and become present, I suppose. "Talk to me, not at me."
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» left by Laura Barney (1 year 210 days ago.)
Thanks! Glad you like it...amazing how it's all about the little things.
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