Three Tips for Staying in Touch

Anne DeSantis outlines three ways moms can improve communication within their family and beyond.

Better communication is a task for every day and for every moment both as people of faith and as mothers. Balancing motherhood, relationships within the family, and life in general requires daily communication. Here are a few tips for moms to make communicating with family and with others a little easier.

Find Your Best Method of Communication

Depending on one’s personality, communication style, and other factors, it is important to find your own best way to get a point across and to communicate well. For some, direct in-person talk is their best method. For others utilizing technology by using texting or emailing is their preferred choice. For others, using paper and notes as way to convey a message is how they like to do it. Only you know how you communicate best when there is an important family matter to discuss.

If you are a person of many words, typing an email to the family member or friend is better than a phone call or in-person meeting especially if you are concerned about conveying the right message. If you are a master with words, selecting a time to speak and keeping an eye on the clock is what will work. Pray about what you wish to communicate and how you can best convey the dialogue before deciding what to do next.

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When Dealing with Kids: Less is More

When dealing with children under the age of twelve, and depending on maturity, keep in mind attention spans. Some children do not have developed listening skills for a prolonged period. Setting a timer or watching the clock is an effective way to make sure that your son or daughter will be able to keep their attention span going during a conversation is helpful. As your child grows into the teen years and beyond, those longer talks can and will become happen more often. Less is more when dealing with younger children since many times kids are looking to extract your overall message a lot faster than a mom’s words can be produced.

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Ask God to Guide You

Our faith is our greatest guide as Catholic mothers when it comes to communication. Pray before, during, and after tough discussions or times of communication with your child, spouse, or family member. Ask the Lord to guide you to be gentle, to offer good listening, and to be guided by the Holy Spirit. As you ask God for His guidance, you will find your communication style will improve, decision making will be easier, and conversations will become less tense.

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Ask the Lord to guide you to be gentle, to offer good listening, and to be guided by the Holy Spirit. #catholicmom

Use these tips to grow in faith, hope, and love with your spouse, children, and family. Find out more about yourself and your best communication techniques, be gentle with your children and with others, and be guided by the Lord, and not only will you grow but your family will too!

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