How to Be a Good Listener to Your Family

Communication is important for strong family relationships. __1__ Working on your listening skills can help you communicate better and form stronger bonds.

Listen actively. When listening to a family member, do not let your mind wander to other things. It's important to make your family member feel heard and valued. Put your phone away and give them your full attention. Never think about other things when someone is talking. __2__

Repeat what has been said. Briefly summarizing what the speaker has said can go a long way towards effective communication. Everyone wants to feel valued and heard, so repeating a family member's point can show you were listening. __3__ It can really allow you and your family to communicate better as well.

__4__ Interrupting can put breaks on effective conversation. Always allow a few seconds of silence after someone finishes talking before offering your response. This allows you to make sure the speaker has finished talking. Do not talk over someone either. No matter how curious you feel about a subject, do not start talking until the other person has finished.

Avoid hurrying the speaker. __5__ Do not break in before the speaker is finished just to hurry the speaker along. Never say things like “Can you get to the point？” This will make it seem like you're not interested in the conversation.