Why it is important to give children and young people sufficient time to express themselves in their own words?

He looked at me again, then put his arms around me (he was already taller than me) and said "I do love you, Mom ... but sometimes you are really FRUSTRATING. I was really angry at you, and now I'm not just 'okay' with you, but I actually do LOVE you even more. I'm going to go think hard about that for awhile."

And he went into his room and put himself on a 'long time out' all by himself. It is important that children are given the time to express themselves in their own time as this builds confidence and self esteem. Rushing the child and finishing their sentences for them may cause them to become reliant on others to speak on behalf of them.

Listening to a child effectively allows the child to speak freely without feeling pressured. When children feel they have all the time in the world to express themselves they will feel comfortable to talk freely which helps to develop communication and language skills. Giving a child time to express themselves will also build a positive relationship with the child as they will feel they can trust you and will be able to confide in you if needed.

Children will use their imagination and be as creative as they can be, if they are allowed the time. When a child is talking as a practitioner you can observe and record their development by listening and acknowledging what they are saying.