Are You Listening?

It annoys me to no end when adults ask a child a question and then don't wait for an answer.
We were at the pediatrician's office yesterday for a routine checkup and a vaccine discussion.
The visit was fine and my son is as healthy as a horse.

I suppose it's because they are very busy but if you ask my son a question, please have the courtesy to wait for him to answer before you either finish his sentence or ignore him an address me. My child has a brain and an opinion on his world. He would appreciate it if you treated him like a human being, rather than an inanimate object who is in the room to look cute and nod his head.

This is not the first time he has felt like he is being ignored by adults. I realize that some adults don't have experience interacting with children, but the pediatrician's staff should know it's important to acknowledge a child and listen to him.

Every time he tried to answer a question (most of them, silly questions at that), he barely got three words out before they cut him off. It was obvious to him that they were not really interested in his answers.

When we got back in the car, he said he was sorry he didn't speak up loud enough to be heard.
I felt so bad for him, that I apologized for the doctor and nurses being rude.

So please, doctors, dentists, nurses and anyone who works with children, realize that the child wants to speak and be heard. To do this, sometimes you have to wait for the words and listen to that soft voice with more attentive ears. You never know what you might learn or what you might be missing!