Non-verbal Communication

Tonight after finishing up dinner with my family I began my nightly homework rounds with the 3 of my 4 children that are in school. The first grader was pretty easy, read a short book and initial that he read it. My older son had no homework tonight so that was easy. All was going well until I hit my 12 year old, 7th grade daughter. She was whining and complaining about a science assignment. I sat down and tried to help her but she wasn't listening and was frustrated. When I finally gave up and said "you obviously don't want my help, you'll have to finish it on your own." She yells " I never said that!". This brought back the memory of our discussion in class over non verbal communication. Her eye rolling, grunting at everything I said and resistance to do what I asked to make it easier communicated to me her unwillingness to accept my help even though she never had to say it. I then found myself giving her a lecture on non verbal communication. I gave examples of how the same phrase coming out of a persons mouth can mean many, many different things depending on their body language. If a person were to say "I'm having a great time!" but their arms were crossed or their body was slumped the person they were talking to would obviously know that they really were not having a great time. I then continued on with how if a person says one thing with words but their body or facial expressions show something else that who ever is being spoken to will usually take the action over the words. I made her try it out in various scenarios. She reluctantly complied at first but then began to loosen up and actually was having fun by the end. This then led to us having a much better time completing her science assignment. Here is a good example of how what I am learning in school has impacted my family life as well.