What is your body language saying to your children? What is their body language telling you? I had the honor of hearing Jan Hargrave speak the other day. She is one of four body language experts in the US. Jan Hargrave says we lie with the right side of our brains, so it is our left hand that gives us away. A person touching his nose, pulling at his ear or rubbing his eye with his left hand might be lying to you. Also, a person who, in any way, crosses any fingers might just be lying. That, she says, is a holdover  from childhood, when we crossed our fingers to signal that we didn't mean what we were saying. When children squint  their eyes, move their body away from you, or can't seem to make good eye contact, you may need to ask for a little more clarification. But just as important, children learn early how to read our body language when they are conversing  with us. Here are some acceptance signals to let them know you are interested when they are talking to you. Lean  towards them. Make good eye contact and smile. Open your arms. Let your hands relax with the palms  showing: an open, upward palm always show acceptance. If your legs are crossed, make sure you are not crossing them away from your child. These are important because they signal to your child that you are focused on them and are accepting and welcoming them into your world. By paying attention, we can open those lines of important communication with our children and we can see the truth more clearly. I think it would be a mistake to use these tools to lie, but we need to be aware of the signals we are giving so we can show people that they really do matter to us. Which of the following does NOT show acceptance to people?
Smile while making eye contact. Open your arms to them. Relax your hands with the palms showing. Cross your leg away from them.