How To Talk To A Kid — Even If You're Not A 'Kid Person'

If you’re not a parent or in a job where you’re talking to kids every day, finding yourself face-to-face with a child can feel unnerving. What are you supposed to say to them? Do they even speak the same language?

You don’t need any experience in parenting or teaching to make a positive connection with a kid in your life. You, too, were a child once upon a time, and if you can tap into those memories and find some common ground, you’ll be able to hold a real conversation with the next kid who pops up beside you at a wedding, family reunion or your coworker’s desk.

We asked a couple of people who are experts in talking to kids about their tips for making conversation.

Get Down On Their Level

Literally, that is. If you’re standing, try coming down into a squatting or kneeling position so you’re both comfortably at eye level. This can help put a child at ease.

“Sometimes we can forget the impact that we have on a young person,” said Mitru Ciarlante, senior director of youth safety and well-being at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a program that matches young people with mentors.

It’s important to remember “how powerful the adult appears from the child’s point of view,” Ciarlante told HuffPost.

Addressing children by name is another way to show care and respect; to instill trust with them, you can have someone they know, such as a parent, introduce you.

Pay Attention To Body Language

In addition to listening carefully to their words, look at what a child is telling you nonverbally. These “nonverbal communication cues” might include “facial expressions, pointing, gestures and body language,” Alisha Simpson-Watt, a social worker and clinical director of Collaborative ABA Services, told HuffPost.

You’ll also want