Active Listening

“M-ito,” I said to my son this morning, ” Mom-ita and I have been fighting a lot lately, have you noticed?” We were sitting at the table eating breakfast. Mom-ita was off to work at my office, teaching. I was staying at home with M-ito, who was on winter break.

“No,” he said, chewing on a piece of humus and toast.

“Oh,” I said. “Well, we have and it’s because I haven’t been listening well to Mom-ita and doesn’t have anything to do with you. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t think you’d done anything wrong.”

“Okay,” he said. “What do you mean you haven’t been listening well?”

“Just like you don’t listen to us very well-  to Mom-ita and me –”

“I do too.”

“M-ito… “

“Well,” he said, “you don’t say much other than eat your breakfast and things like that… “

“And that’s not too important,” I finished for him.

M-ito nodded.

“I see,” I said. “But you know when Mom-ita speaks we both need to listen because she says things that are important, right?

He nodded.

“And that’s all I’m saying. I need to focus more and listen better to Mom-ita. But that’s me, not you. You understand?”

“Yup,” he said and picked up another piece of toast. “Can I watch another episode of Dino Squad when I’m finished?

And so it goes…