Teachers and parents seem to find it ...

How to relate to small children

Teachers and parents seem to find it very easy to talk to
smaller children because they spend so much time around them. Relating to young
children can seem daunting at first – you may have no idea what to say and feel
quite awkward. It can be especially daunting if the child you have to
communicate with is very shy and doesn’t want to talk to you. Whether you are a teacher, a private tutor or a prospective parent, sooner or later you will need to be able to talk to small children! The main thing to
remember is that you are much bigger than they are – if a 20 foot tall person
came up to you for a chat you’d probably be quite intimidated as well! Check
out our tips below for breaking the ice and managing a dialogue with a small
child:

1)     Get down to their level. Towering over a small child can be very
intimidating. Crouch down or go down onto one knee.

2)     Make eye contact. Look the child in the eye and speak clearly
when you are talking, especially if you have a distinctive accent. Children are
just starting out in the world when it comes to communication – so make sure
they can both see and hear you speaking to maximise the chance of being
understood. Not many children will tell you they didn’t understand what you
said.

3)     Keep instructions or questions simple and to the point.

4)     Allow them to try things on their own and fail if necessary.
Failure just like success, it is part of life. Children will find you far more
interesting if you’re not always jumping in to prevent them from making
mistakes (we’re obviously not talking about letting your child fall off a swing
here!)

5)     Positive feedback – Everybody responds well to being told
they’re good at something. Children, just like most adults, will like you more
if you are nice to them. Constantly pointing out children’s flaws won’t get you
anywhere!

6)     Be polite – Just because you are bigger than they are doesn’t
give you the right to be rude to them. Remember that they are human and deserve
respect just as much as you do. Saying please and thank-you to a child will
encourage them to say it back to you.

Children’s favourite topics of conversation are
generally quite ego-centric. Asking a child what they have done, who they have
spoken to today, what their favourite toy or food is is a great way to
introduce yourself to a small child and engage them in a conversation.