Take A Look At This Book
How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7: by Joanna Faber and Julie King
This is a book all about remembering that even the littlest of kids are whole people too. I know that for many the ages in this book might be too low to match the children you are working with or see yourself working with, but the concepts in here still apply to older kids and so if they should be worth looking into you can find the other titles aimed more directly at older children.
The “big idea” of this book is that the first step to working on changing a child’s behavior is to recognize their feelings. Now, there is a technique to this and the book does an excellent job of providing story after story of how this works in all types of situations. But, the point is if we want kids to hear us they have to know they are heard. After that, you can problem solve, and the book lays out a few ways of doing this once again with a plethora of story examples.
One of the great things about this book is that It is really broken down by specific situations with each one having examples of parents using the strategies.
Another point in favor of this book is that it talks about working with neurodivergent children as well, not something all of these types of books do.
As I wrap up, I want to highlight an important point. Just like many behavior strategies, implementing the techniques discussed in the book requires taking the time to stop and work with the child. While it may feel like a luxury when teaching in public schools, in a microschool setting, where the focus is on supporting the development of a small number of students, you can prioritize taking the time when it’s needed. This is a valuable aspect of microschools that allows for a more personalized and individualized approach to addressing children’s behaviors and needs.
So, whether you’re a teacher, parent, or caregiver, “How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen” is a valuable addition to your toolkit for navigating the joys and challenges of working with young children.
