Heart to Heart : Get Your Kids to Stop Interrupting Your Conversations

How do you get kids to stop interrupting and give you that semblance of space when you are on the phone with the Internet company, wondering why you WIFI won’t work?!

It is the bane of every parent’s existence. Kids talking over, behind, under you while you are striving to have conversations, work or be on the phone. The sound of Mom, mommy, mama, are enough to drive you crazy when you are trying to focus on anything else.

Those sweet voices from which you yearned to hear “Mom” & “Dad” now won’t stop saying those words when they need something. Which is ALL. THE. TIME! And specially when you are distracted, because that is when these sneaky critters know you will say Yes to anything to get them to shush.

How do you get them to stay still and be quiet? Here are the tricks that have worked for me. Tried and tested. Hope they give you some idea on how to get kids to stop interrupting.

1. Monkey See, Monkey Do

Have you noticed how many times we interrupt our kids? They come to us when we are sitting and instead of listening, we give them a job to do, or change their clothes or some such task that could have waited two minutes after they spoke. Listen to your child. Give them the respect of your listening ears. Point this out when they interrupt your flow in THAT conversation with, “I’m not done”.

2. A Taste of Their Own Medicine

Silly. Yes! Kiddish. Yes! But it’s fun. After they have done it to you, give it a few minutes and when they start talking do it right back to them. I don’t encourage this more than a couple of times and explain to them how utterly distressing it is to have your words cut off.

3. Signal for Listening

One that works both ways. So if you are with friends/spouse and they come over, if it’s not urgent, they need can your hand and wait for you or everyone to finish. That way they know they are connected to you but waiting for their chance. Also, another signal like a raised hand when something urgent comes up that is MOST important.

Also, a signal from you that you cannot be stopped during THIS conversation, specially ones on the phone. Maybe a raised finger. Practice it during your conversations like a Red Light, Green Light Game.

4. Talk to Them About the Importance of Your Calls

Dad goes to office, so his meetings do not have to be disturbed. Kids learn this very early and easily. But with moms calls, they tend to take us for granted. A HUGE shift in our listening skills came when my I told my kids that me being on the phone with a company, the doctor’s office and even friends is the same as me being in a meeting. It is important for me, and thus they need to respect it. They grasped the relative importance and it made quiet a difference.

5. Don’t Hold Your Breathe

With the BEST kids, these tips work with perseverance. It all takes time, and after all they are kids. For them, their desire for TV/snack arises the moment they know you are busy for they feel they have to keep themselves occupied. Make sure they know that you are NOT going to be available to cater to them and that works best!

Find out more ways here, and share your experiences below.

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