Rebecca Rolland

Yeah, so one time I was with my daughter in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and we were looking at the mummy exhibits. And we were staring at them for a while, and she asked me, well, where did the mummies go? And I said to her, well, they're right here. They're right in front of us. And she said, no, I don't mean that. I mean kind of where they went, kind of their souls or their spirits.

She didn't use that word. And I said that I didn't know, and I asked her, what did you think? And she was wondering, well, where did they go before they were born? That was her next question. And then she wondered, well, where were you before you were born? So she had a series of these questions that made me actually reflect and say, I'm actually not sure about that.

She didn't use that word. And I said that I didn't know, and I asked her, what did you think? And she was wondering, well, where did they go before they were born? That was her next question. And then she wondered, well, where were you before you were born? So she had a series of these questions that made me actually reflect and say, I'm actually not sure about that.

She didn't use that word. And I said that I didn't know, and I asked her, what did you think? And she was wondering, well, where did they go before they were born? That was her next question. And then she wondered, well, where were you before you were born? So she had a series of these questions that made me actually reflect and say, I'm actually not sure about that.

I've never thought about where I was or who I was before I was myself. And I asked her, I turned it around and said, what do you think? And she said, I still remember this. She said, well, I was an old man and I got sick of being so old. And so I turned into a baby again. And I thought that was so interesting and philosophical.

I've never thought about where I was or who I was before I was myself. And I asked her, I turned it around and said, what do you think? And she said, I still remember this. She said, well, I was an old man and I got sick of being so old. And so I turned into a baby again. And I thought that was so interesting and philosophical.

I've never thought about where I was or who I was before I was myself. And I asked her, I turned it around and said, what do you think? And she said, I still remember this. She said, well, I was an old man and I got sick of being so old. And so I turned into a baby again. And I thought that was so interesting and philosophical.

She just said it completely with a straight face and really made me reflect on, well, how much children often think about things in quite different ways than we do and in ways that are really profound if we can take the time to listen.

She just said it completely with a straight face and really made me reflect on, well, how much children often think about things in quite different ways than we do and in ways that are really profound if we can take the time to listen.

She just said it completely with a straight face and really made me reflect on, well, how much children often think about things in quite different ways than we do and in ways that are really profound if we can take the time to listen.

Yeah, so oftentimes we come in with very much with our own agendas and the child comes with their own agenda. And often the two of us never actually meet. So one example of this would be a child comes and says, look at my toy robot. He's running out of batteries. And we say, OK, it's time to go to soccer practice or it's time to go see your grandmother.

Yeah, so oftentimes we come in with very much with our own agendas and the child comes with their own agenda. And often the two of us never actually meet. So one example of this would be a child comes and says, look at my toy robot. He's running out of batteries. And we say, OK, it's time to go to soccer practice or it's time to go see your grandmother.

Yeah, so oftentimes we come in with very much with our own agendas and the child comes with their own agenda. And often the two of us never actually meet. So one example of this would be a child comes and says, look at my toy robot. He's running out of batteries. And we say, OK, it's time to go to soccer practice or it's time to go see your grandmother.

And the child says, but look, it can go upside down. And we say, OK, where are your shoes? So you can see this dynamic playing out, especially with children, but really you can think about this also as playing out sometimes with adults. When we have these two differing agendas, it might sound as if we're being heard.

And the child says, but look, it can go upside down. And we say, OK, where are your shoes? So you can see this dynamic playing out, especially with children, but really you can think about this also as playing out sometimes with adults. When we have these two differing agendas, it might sound as if we're being heard.

And the child says, but look, it can go upside down. And we say, OK, where are your shoes? So you can see this dynamic playing out, especially with children, but really you can think about this also as playing out sometimes with adults. When we have these two differing agendas, it might sound as if we're being heard.

It might sound as if we're having a conversation, but really we're having two one-way monologues. And over time, if we continue to do this, both of us end up feeling not very heard and not very seen and not very appreciated. So a lot of the goals of what I do and what I think about is how to actually have more fulfilling and meaningful conversations.

It might sound as if we're having a conversation, but really we're having two one-way monologues. And over time, if we continue to do this, both of us end up feeling not very heard and not very seen and not very appreciated. So a lot of the goals of what I do and what I think about is how to actually have more fulfilling and meaningful conversations.

It might sound as if we're having a conversation, but really we're having two one-way monologues. And over time, if we continue to do this, both of us end up feeling not very heard and not very seen and not very appreciated. So a lot of the goals of what I do and what I think about is how to actually have more fulfilling and meaningful conversations.

So I really think about what I call the ABCs of rich conversations with kids or more meaningful conversations. And the A just stands for adaptive, meaning that you really want to focus on knowing the child in front of you. So adapting to their mood, to their temperament, to their age and their stage, and even their interest. The B stands for back and forth.