998 –
Listen more talk less.
It may be possible your child is not talking, because the space has not yet been created to let them know their voice is valued. It is possible your child doesn’t want to talk or has nothing to say. That is okay. Respect it. You can still teach them to be okay with silence. Show them patience. Teach them how to wait. Show them you will wait. No distractions. No phones. No looking down. No pressure to say something or telling them “It’s okay”, you are here and will listen when they are ready. Show them through doing. Teach them by not doing. Show them by waiting until they are ready.
If I have learned anything these past 8.5 years it’s that my daughter has so much to say, so many ideas, concepts, theories to express. So many things running through her heart, head, and mind (yes, those are three differing ideas and concepts). So many wonderful things waiting to be said, waiting to be birthed into the world. How many things would have been missed, how many things have been missed, because of looking down? How many words went unheard? How many words went unsaid?
Space. Time. Wait. Listen. You’ll get your chance. The more you listen now. The more they may be willing to listen later.
A Better Father 