Training Week: Day 1 — Train them how to listen

Ashley Lunnon

8h • Free Series

A lot of us keep saying, “My child doesn’t listen.”

But have we actually trained them how to listen?

Listening is not just hearing your voice.

Listening means they stop, focus, understand, and respond with action.

And that has to be taught.

Sometimes our children are not ignoring us because they’re “bad.” Sometimes they are overstimulated, distracted, confused, used to repeated warnings, or they’ve learned that we don’t really mean it until we yell.

So today, we’re not just correcting “you don’t listen.”

We’re training what listening looks like.

Try this:

Get close before giving the instruction.Say their name.Make eye contact if they can handle that.Give one clear instruction.Ask them to repeat it back.Then follow through.

Example:

“Jordan, put your shoes by the door.”

Then ask:

“What did I ask you to do?”

If they repeat it, now you know they heard you.

If they don’t do it, the issue is not hearing anymore now it’s follow-through.

And parents, this matters because some of us are giving instructions from across the house, while the TV is on, while they’re playing, while we’re already irritated, then we get mad when they don’t move.

Slow down and train the skill.

Listening is a skill.

Following instructions is a skill.

Responding without attitude is a skill.

And skills need practice.

Today’s training step:

Pick one instruction and train your child through it calmly.

Not a lecture.Not yelling from another room.Not repeating it 12 times.

Just clear, close, calm, and consistent.

Say this today:

“In our home, listening means you stop, hear, and follow through.”

Question for today: