OWL to Let Your Child Lead
Letting your child lead begins with OWL:
The first letters of these three important
words can help you remember them.
OWLing is an important strategy that you can use
with your child throughout an interaction. When you
OWL, you open up all sorts of opportunities for communication.
You may even discover that your child is
communicating more than you realized.
Observe
Sometimes it’s hard to know what’s on your
child’s mind. Taking the time to observe her
body language — her actions, gestures and
facial expressions — will help you figure it out.
By tuning in to these messages, you can learn
a lot about what she’s interested in and what
she wants to tell you. Notice what your child is
looking at. Look in the direction in which she’s
reaching or pointing. Discovering what has
captured your child’s interest will help you
share the moment with her.
Mom was trying to get Megan to
look in the mirror, but then she
observed that Megan was more
interested in something else — her
sock had come off. Now they can
talk about what Megan is really
interested in.
Observe, Wait and Listen:
Taking the time to OWL is
a wise way to start.
Look! Your
sock’s off!
Observe
Wait
Listen