Liz Donnelly discusses listening and your toddler with Laura Morley from Toddler Talk.

We spend up to 80 percent of our waking hours communicating. Just under half of this communication involves listening. Most of us are poor, inefficient listeners, mainly due to the fact that no one has ever taught us how to listen. Here's how to be a good listener.

There are lots of ways you can reinforce the development of good communication avenues as your child grows. One of these is ‘active listening’.

Active listening is where you let the other person know you’ve heard and understood them. This can be done in a variety of ways - paraphrase what was said, nod, sit still and face them. Always support your child’s efforts to communicate by being interested in what they’re saying. It’s about listening and sharing. Share stories, fears, tears, and smiles. Show that you value them and the fact they are working hard to make sense of the world - cuddles, love and affection are crucial!