Model good listening skills for your children and they will listen better to you and to their peers. Offer your child the opportunity to solve his or her own problems. It builds confidence and self-esteem. Maintain as much eye contact as your child seems comfortable with. Make body contact, such as a hand to the shoulder, if that seems appropriate.
Parents often say they are listening, but half of their attention is somewhere else.
You can't con a child this way. Typically, a few minutes of sincere, attentive listening is worth more than an hour of letting your child talk while you carry on with another activity. Don't rush to jump in with solutions, ideas or lectures. Sometimes children just need a sounding board while they figure out exactly what they want to do. Validate your child's fears and feelings.