Encouraging reciprocal conversation skills in 7 year olds

[ScummyMummy]

Sorry- sounds a bit poncey as a title I know but am finding it quite hard chatting with one of my boys atm. He tends to turn the conversation round to his interest of the moment and list everything he knows about it, which takes forever and I kind of lose concentration as he goes on and on. Then I feel guilty. But if I try and interrupt he loses the thread and finds it hard to say anything. Any ideas?

yes... will have to perfect gamecube skills, deffo. Just feel like we share very few interests sometimes. He really is the sweetest little boy- mild mannered and tolerant and lovely. It's just that we glaze over at each others' top subjects. I think I need to learn some better jokes and get a puppy.

oh god!! so it only gets worse!!... my 4 yr old chats absolute b*llox constantly(ok to her it's not but... spongebob and peppa pigs exploits are crap to me)...it drives me mad I try to listen but find myself thinking about what we're having for dinner etc lol

sod the puppy - get a plant each stick it on the veranda and talk about feednig it and keeping it and stuff.

BIKES!!!

surely bikes are interesting.

i can ride my bike but ds can fix them puncture kit - bowl of water - and much praise. and long bike ride .....near the sea?!

re the games console - do practice - i am champion snowboarder and as such am worth playing becuase playing aainst me means much kudos and i'm not such a "girl"

I am ok at bikes. He likes my chopper. But as we cycle along the sound of a small boy talking about yugioh inevitably becomes audible.
Puppies are cute though. And there are some going free with a pirate eyepatch. What better mother-son bonding could there be? And partner is good at being strict with puppies so they don't get out of hand...

Oh fantastic thread - just what I needed - we are not alone!
DS1 is boring me rigid with his endless wittering. I just seem to have lost all my previous parental patience, and have banned all conversations in my presence on Yu-gi-oh, Dr Who, Pokemon, etc. ... Unfortunately it leaves us with very little to talk about.

You are most certainly not alone! We now have one week on, one week off Yugi-Oh!, but he has resurrected his Pokemon interest in the alternate weeks. Groan.

I've just been encouraging DS1 to think about why listening to other people might sometimes be useful for him. I had limited success.

am of the opinion that you should say - i will listen to you if you listen to me. so listen about pokemon and use active listening skills then tell them about your day. fairs fair - this works for us round the table and is good manners if nothing else

Blah Balh Blah Dr Who Blah Blah Blah SpongeBob Blah Blah Blah Star Wars Blah Blah Blah.....AGGHHHH Boys are a different species I have 2 of them!!!!

JOKES ladies (have to say that as I want to say "guys", in that sort of team-pulling-together way) - that is the key.

I cannot possibly count the number of times ds begins "In Dreamland ...." (his fantastical otherworld) - insert description of wacky alternative political structure/behaviour of atoms/transport mode. But we have worked out a system where if ds put a JOKE (or ten) into his Dreamland thing then (a) I will listen (b) I will listen with a bit of enthusiasm (c) I might even do a joke back.

I think that's a life lesson, isn't it? Jokes get you a Long Way.