Why Children Don't Listen

A wonderfully helpful book for every parent. Many readers will be familiar with the everyday challenge of getting up, eating breakfast and getting children on school on time. This provides a microcosm of family life. The author writes from within an anthroposophical perspective, outlining the way in which Rudolf Steiner understood the child's development. However, she also draws on the work of Eric Berne's transactional analysis and the hierarchy of needs originated by Abraham Maslow. One of the most useful models relates to speaking, listening and understanding. The author explains that there are four aspects to listening, namely the factual aspect, the self disclosure aspect, the relationship aspect and the appeal aspect. We need to know which ears both we and other people are actually listening with. Another useful model gives exercises for training what she calls the 12 senses of children, so that they can become more rounded beings. Overall, this is an invaluable resource for increasing self-awareness and harmony within families.