The 3-minute principle that parents should apply when teaching their children
When picking up your child at the school gate, spend at least 3 minutes listening to your child's story so you don't miss the most important information.
How much time do you spend with your children after work? Usually, each person only needs 30 minutes to cook for their children, 15 minutes to read to them and a few seconds to kiss them goodnight. However, according to psychologistsNataliya Sirotich, there are three most important minutes of the day that you should apply to build a good relationship with your child even when he or she enters puberty, according toBright Side.
The three-minute rule
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According to this principle, even if you see your child every day, make each time you see him or her seem like it's been a long time since you last saw him or her.
In addition, you should sit down at eye level with your child, spend three minutes hugging your child and asking what happened while you were apart. This is especially necessary when picking up your child from daycare, school or when you just come home from work.
The importance of listening to your child
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According toNataliya, within the first few minutes of seeing their parents again, children will tell you everything they can remember. Ignoring the three-minute rule depends on the child's personality.
When children don't have the opportunity to tell small stories, over time they may not tell their parents about important things either. In this case, parents may miss out on a lot.
On the other hand, some children will continue to talk all night, trying to recall details and finally completing the story. Parents of these children are also at risk of missing information, because to them, the child's words become a familiar background noise.
Notes on applying the principle
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The three-minute rule doesn’t mean parents should spend just three minutes a day with their children. It suggests that each time you see your child, you should listen for the first three minutes to get a sense of what they have to say.
In addition, to understand your child better, you can follow some advice from psychologists:
- Set aside some time each day to do something you and your child both enjoy.
- Let your child know you are listening and understanding the story by repeating the information he or she has just said.
- Don't act fake excited.
- When the conversation is interrupted, repeat it immediately so your child knows you remember what was being discussed.
- Avoid long, meaningless arguments even when you know right from wrong. Simply say, "I know you don't agree with me."
