Enter a Child’s World

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Have you ever had a conversation where you felt like the person was truly hearing you?

It’s called attunement. Attunement is the interaction between two people that shows a deep sense of connected ness and understanding. It is a subtle dance of communication where the steps are attention and gesture that happens between two people when they are in tune with one another.

Several years ago Patricia Haman from the Radical Aliveness Institute taught me the concept as it relates to parenting. Her simple advise was, I’m paraphrasing, spend 10 minutes a day attuning to your son. Mimic his physical actions. Repeat back his words. Paraphrase what he is saying and feeling. BE A MIRROR.

I’m sharing this with you now because yesterday I was speaking with a friend who shared with me something the Kabbalist Rav Berg taught him.

The Rav said if you want your child to be happy you’ve got to get down on all fours and play with them and ENTER THEIR WORLD.

I know sometimes it can be hard to enter a child’s world, as our minds have become so adulterated. But I think the technique of attunement is a good start. And with a little help, our mind and imagination will catch up.

This is also one of the benefits of my creative writing classes for children and teens. Students report that after writing and sharing their work they feel seen and heard on a deep level.