On Being Ignored...

The thing about being a parent is there are no dress rehearsals.  For better or for worse we blunder along. 
Children are amazingly patient and long-suffering and, well, you decide...

Mom to 8 yr. old daughter:  Have you ever had a friend who ignored you?

Daughter:  Yes.

Mom:  Who?

Daughter:  (friend's name)

Mom:  How do you feel when she ignores you?

Daughter:  Like she doesn't care about me.

Mom:  How else does it make you feel?

Daughter:  Awful.

Mom:  Why?

Daughter:  Because I feel she doesn't like me or think about me.

Mom:  What does it make you want to do?

Daughter:  Cry.

Mom:  What else?

Daughter:  I feel like gatting her back and ignoring her or telling a grownup how I feel.  One time when she ignored me I left.

Mom:  Have you ever ignored anyone?

Daughter:  Yes.

Mom:  Who?

Daughter:  My parents.

Mom:  How do you think it makes us feel?

Daughter:  Mad.  Like I don't love you.

Mom:  Why is it important not to ignore people?

Daughter:  So they don't feel bad, sad, or left out.

Mom:  Could it hurt you?

Daughter:  Yes.

Mom:  How?

Daughter:  By making you have a cold feeling inside--that it wasn't the right thing.

Mom:  How can you train yourself not to ignore your parents?

Daughter:  That's a hard one.

Mom:  What could you say?

Daughter:  Yes Mom or Yes Dad.

Mom:  What about looking at us?

Daughter:  I'd do that.

Mom:  How are you going to reward yourself?  How about a card that we punch?

Daughter:  And every time we get 10 we get to choose dinner.

Mom:  And if you ignore again we start all over.