Non-verbal Communication is where it's at!

I have been working on non-verbal communication with many of my families recently. This can be tough for some people. It is hard not to talk, but wow how powerful this can be.

I recently reviewed a tape from a mom who has struggled with using non-verbal communication with her child. In this last tape I asked her to focus on using non-verbals. She made is her mission to try hard to use non-verbal communication as much as possible and to amplify her facial expressions as well as use a slow pace to her child could follow her gestures. She did a really nice job of using more non-verbals than verbal communication and she used many amplified facial expressions. Her pace was exactly right and the activity went very smoothly. Her child was able to pick up on her non-verbals and was successful in being co-regulated with her. He even used some non-verbals of his own toward the end of the activity.

I have another parent who has been working on this as well only her child will say to her "talk mommy, talk, can't you talk?" She has done a great job of not answering and continuing to use her non-verbal communication which has made a big difference in his ability to complete activities, stay regulated and focused. It has also reduced some of his verbal communication as well.

I find it amazing what a little less talking and little more non-verbal communication can do for a child. If we all stopped to think about what we convey with our face, our bodies, our tone of voice each day we would be stunned.

My challenge for each of you this week is to take 5 minutes and watch something on tv with the sound off or go to a public place and sit away from people who are talking and just see what you can pick up from just watching the non-verbal communication going on. Are the people happy/sad, do they like each other, are the good friends or have they just met.

So here's to non-verbal communication!

Talk to you soon,
Erin