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SYMPATHETIC LISTENING
Why It’s Important to Hear What Your Children
Have to SayNOW WE TURN OUR attention to the final parenting job, strengthening
your relationship with your children. Some people call this
“bonding.” If you bond well with your kids, the first two parenting
jobs become easier. If you do the first two parenting jobs well,
bonding will occur naturally. We’ll discuss the two most powerful
relationship-strengthening tactics—sympathetic listening and shared
one-on-one fun—in the next two chapters.
Be a Good Listener
Your children will frequently surprise you with some of the things
they say, and your first impulse often may be to react negatively. For