Active Listening Transforms Family Dynamics
In a world full of parenting books that lecture and overwhelm, I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them by Franki Bagdade is a breath of fresh air. With the cadence of a casual coffee chat between two exhausted parents and the wisdom of a seasoned behavioral expert, this award-winning guide offers something radical—hope.
At the heart of that hope is one of the most powerful, underestimated parenting tools of all: active listening.
Franki’s message is clear—when parents begin to truly listen to their children (not just hear them), everything changes. Behavior improves. Conflicts soften. Relationships deepen. In fact, active listening is often the first step in transforming not just your child’s behavior, but your entire family dynamic.
What Is Active Listening?
Active listening means being fully present with your child—putting away your phone, pausing your multitasking mind, and tuning in not just to the words, but to the feelings behind them. It means acknowledging your child’s emotions without rushing to fix them. It means validating—even when you don’t agree.
In the book, Franki shows you how to do just that through real-life stories from her classroom, summer camp cabins, and her own home “lab school” (a.k.a. raising three kids with wildly different needs). She doesn’t pretend it’s easy. But she makes it accessible—even when you’re burnt out and running on fumes.
Why It Works
Children act out when they feel unseen or unheard. Active listening addresses that root cause. It tells your child: You matter. I’m here. That simple shift can defuse tantrums, reduce sibling rivalry, and even help kids with anxiety, ADHD, or sensory challenges feel safe enough to try again.
And best of all? You don’t have to be a perfect parent to use it.
Franki writes with raw honesty about her own “mom fails” and course corrections, making it clear that active listening isn’t about being calm all the time—it’s about connection. Even in the mess. Especially in the mess.
A Survival Guide That Gets It
Selected as the Independent Authors Network Book of the Year for Outstanding Parenting and winner of the Literary Titan Gold Award, I Love My Kids, But I Don’t Always Like Them is the parenting manual for the real world. The one with school drop-offs, meltdowns, and too many tabs open.
Whether your child is struggling with focus, friendships, transitions, or tasks that “should” be easy, this book offers practical, judgment-free strategies—plus a good dose of humor. Every chapter ends with digestible key points (because reading time is rare), and the tone stays supportive throughout.
So, if your household could use more peace, fewer power struggles, and deeper bonds, start with your ears.
Start with active listening.
Start with the award-winning book, I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them.
For more posts by and about Franki, click HERE.
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