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Show Home and School 'Talk' not working? j try' listen' j By Dr. Daryl J. McCarty 1 Executive Secretary f Utah Education j Association j Some educators say 1 students' progress in schools depends somewhat on how js well parents talk to them at f home. 5 Talking and listening : every day to your child can I build the child's image, and that's an active ingredient in i the success formula. It's important to recognize that you talk differntly to children of different ages. Listen to yourself when you talk to your child who isn't old enough to enter school. Many parents give their youngsters of this age a long string of statements such as "no", "don't touch," and "mustn't do that." Why not say "do this instead?" in-stead?" This way, you're , preventing little Johnny ? from shattering a valuable antique vase by handing him a sturdy pan to pummel. ; You get your last opportunity op-portunity to build a close personal relationship with your child during the years when school begins and before the breakaway to adulthood. - ! You can help during these years by praising things done well; by offering un- ) derstanding and con- structive suggestions about failures; and by helping the youngster to improve. In talking to youngsters in these middle years, shun belittling terms such as "stupid," or "ridi- culous," I Talk proudly about your child's strengths and realistically about f. weaknesses--and that child will adopt the same at- titudes. When adolescence arrives, 1 youngsters need privacy, social accpetance by both ) sexes, and understanding of j the emotional extremes they t experience. Try to tolerate fads that may appear silly to you, but f don't hesitate to set limits where the youth's well-being I is concerned-with drag racing, drugs, etc. f In talking to people in f these years, talk openly, be fair in your demands-and j avoid sarcasm. j If talk doesn't work-try i listening. ; i f f |