Relating to Young People
Adults sometimes forget that trust is an important part of communicating with children... especially in difficult or emergency situations.
Kids want to respond - they just need an opening, a 'common ground' to feel comfortable with. It's up to the adult to create that 'common ground' and help the child get there.
A child lives in a special world that usually is free of the complexity and for-reaching implications we adults must face. Too often we try to communicate with kids by forcing them to live in an adult world, to respond and react the way an adult would. From a child's point of view In The Magic Of Communication - Relating To Young People, Jeffrey B. McMullen focuses on methods of gaining trust and increasing effective communication with children.
This full-day workshop has been very successful among professionals in the health-care, law- enforcement and elementary-education fields.
Jeffrey helps participants discover techniques to overcome a child's fear, react to physical signals and quickly assess the needs of particular communication situations. He discusses how to understand the adult vs. Child perspective and how to use imagination to overcome the obstacles in-between.
Participants will learn about:
• Initial approaches: posture, mannerisms and voice
• Action: what is happening, what will happen, what has just happened
• How to apply honesty
• The healing power of laughter and humor
Tricks of the Trade
There are special ways to get into a child's world. Jeffrey shows participants how to connect with a child by asking permission to be a "space invader" - somebody who respects a child's comfort zones. He demonstrates "tricks of the trade" including:
• Magic
• Balloon Sculpting
• Puppets
• Games
• Meaningful, entertaining stories
It's Their World
When adults try to communicate with kids, they bring all kinds of threatening images to the experience. Jeffrey will demonstrate fun and humorous techniques adults can use to help children deal with scary items such as technical equipment, uniforms and overwhelming, confusing situations.
According to Jeffrey, communication with children is nothing more than respecting their capabilities and working within them. Kids want to understand, to trust...adults just have to give them the opportunity.
For more information about a specially customized program to increase productivity in your organization, please contact me: info@jeffmcmullen.com.
