Reading Body Language

Reading body language is an easy and quick way to know what is going on for our children. By understanding the body language signs that our kids use means we can increase the connection between ourselves and our kids.

Reading body language is a great way to help us develop a connection with our children and open up the lines of communication. By improving on this connection or rapport will help us to gain the trust of our children.

Using only our words to build rapport can be a time consuming business. Instead if we also incorporate some basic body language secrets we can fast track this process.

Just a side note about rapport, it is always based on a genuine level of respect and caring for each other. Without this any inroads into developing rapport will be short lived.

Body Language Secrets

Anthony Robbins, in many of his motivation tapes highlights how it is easy to use the technique of reading body language to fast track the development of rapport.

Robbins suggests copying a certain component of another person’s body language such as a person’s tonality or physical gestures to convey a sense of genuine empathy for that person.

Behaviour Modeling suggests to the reader that you have understood what they are saying; this instantly puts them at ease with you.

So to fast track the development of rapport with your children, partner or friends or even acquaintances simply copy or mimic a small portion of their body language.

• If they have their legs crossed cross yours
• If they have a word that they use frequently occasionally included it in your works
• If they flick their hair assuming you have long hair flick your hair occasionally
• If they use their hands to communicate also use your hands to help express yourself
• Watch their facial expressions; if they use little facial expressions then you use little facial expressions, if on the other hand they use their face quiet a lot to express their feelings then also use some facial expressions.

Before finishing up just a quick note of caution when using non verbal communication skills to develop rapport – keep it natural. If you are not used to using your hands to help tell your story then practice it first and only do what makes you feel comfort and natural.

Fake use of your non verbal communication skills can make your intended audience feel uncomfortable or worst feel like you are making fun of them.

Body Language Signs

Finally reading body language involves understanding what you are seeing so here are just a few of the more common interruptions of some of our everyday body language.

• Looking down suggests either dishonestly or lack of confidence
• Looking someone straight in the eye suggests respect and strength
• Looking up suggests you are searching for the right answer
• Crossed arms – are you protecting yourself or keeping others out?
• Rounded body movements suggest warmth and love
• Straight lines in the body movement suggests coldness and hardness of character.

Next time you are at the movies check these last two facts out, the villain of each movie have straighter longer faces and the heroes are move likely to have rounded features.

Cartoons are great at using this imagery to create these attributes to its characters. Dancers and the ballet also use rounded movements to suggest warmth and straighter lines to imply hostility.

The art of happiness – one final body language secret! To convey happiness and or excitement when you are talking to your children make sure you are smiling with both your eyes and mouth.

This will automatically make your tone more vibrant, your eyes shine will excitement (instant of a dull bored look) and you will most likely begin to move your body in a more rounded way.

If you want to be confident,
but don’t normally act that way,
today, just this once, act in the physical world
the way you believe a confident person would. Wayne Dyer

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