Counseling: What parents understood? Mary Ruth Sizer taught me this parent question

Want to know what has gotten through to a parent or caregiver on previous visits to you or elsewhere; what they remember; what they understood?

In the beginning of a visit ask them this open-ended question Mary Ruth Sizer taught me when I was the Director of the BEGINNINGS (Program) for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing:

"What have you been told about your child's hearing?"

Counseling Parents: 2 simple questions David Luterman taught me

When we ask a parent these questions as often proposed by David Luterman:

"How are you feeling?"
"What do you need to know?"
and deal with that, no more and no less, parents stay with us and come back when they need more.

Father, mother, grandparents, other significant care-givers will not likely be on the same schedule of processing their feelings nor will they have the same questions . Be mindful of all family members.

Of course, ask only one of these questions at a time - not rapid-fire and wait calmly/silently for them to open up and reply.