Nine Steps for better Listening:

1. Adopt an open posture. Crossed arms and legs can suggest, "I'm not listening to you." An open posture may show your child that you are interested in what he/she is saying.
2. Put yourself on your child's level - kneel, lean towards the child. This can communicate, "You have my attention, and I'm listening."
3. Stay relaxed. If you fidget nervously when your child is talking, he/she may think you'd rather be somewhere else.
4. Listen for your child's feelings and needs.
5. Be available and listen when your child needs to talk.
6. Watch your child. Learn to read his/her non-verbal behavior: posture, body movements and gestures. Notice frowns, smiles and raised eyebrows. Listen to voice quality and pitch, emphasis, pauses and inflections. The way in which your child says something can tell you more than what he/she is actually saying.
7. Actively give your child non-verbal feedback - nod, smile, look surprised. These small signals can mean more than you realize. They'll encourage your child to open up even more and let you into his/her life.
8. The last step to listening is speaking. But, before you give your response, restate in your own words what your child has told you. This proves that you were listening, and it gives the child the opportunity to say, 'Yes, that's it exactly" or "No, what I really mean is this..."
9. Keep in mind that one of the goals of communication is to increase understanding.