In a world full of negativity, a psychologist reveals how to send your kids healthy, positive messages—both verbally and nonverbally.

As a parent, you constantly send your children messages with your words, attitudes, and actions, creating their earliest ideas about themselves, others, and the world around them. This guide describes the vital opportunity you have to shape your children—even when they may not appear to be listening—and shows how you can instill healthy beliefs that will strengthen them against peer pressure, manipulative media, and other negative influences. Your Children Are Listening offers:

- Nine essential messages all children need to hear—on love, competence, security, compassion, gratitude, nature, respect, responsibility, and emotion

- Why these messages are so important

- The different "conduits" through which children receive your messages

- "Message blockers" that can prevent them from getting through

- Fun catchphrases and activities you can use to send these messages every day