My Top Five Reasons for Being Someone Who Listens - #5 - So They Will Tell Us the Important Things

The other day when my grandsons were at my house they were watching a children's show and the topic of not being listened to came up (it was the "title" of the episode). I asked my oldest grandson if he felt like this sometimes and he said; "Yes. Well, except for you, grandma, because you always listen to us." 

As adults it is far too easy to be busy with the things we are doing or with our tech and just not listen to children. Children do tend to talk a lot and it is not always "earth-shattering" things they have to say; but when it comes to my grandsons, I feel like if it is important to them and they want to tell me, I want to hear it! I'm so glad Josiah has noticed this!

So, as I thought about this conversation, I thought it applied to Children's Ministry as well and came up with five reasons we need to be people who listen to children, families and volunteers and this week I'll share them with you - beginning today with #5 . . . 

• Because we want them to tell us when what they have to say truly is "earth-shattering" or very important. If we have listened to them - even when what they have had to say was not particularly "important", when they have something important to say, they are more likely to tell us.

If we are people who listen, children are much more likely to tell us when they have something important to say. We need to be people who listen to the children, families and volunteers in our ministries, so they will tell us the important things. 

Why do you listen?