Book excerpt: Children become the messages they get the most. And as a parent, your words, attitudes, and actions are constantly sending your children messages, creating their earliest ideas about themselves, others, and the world around them. Now, parenting expert Dr. Jim Taylor describes the vital opportunity you have to shape your children (even when they may not appear to be listening) and guides you to answer this crucial question: ÒHow can I be sure IÕm sending the healthiest messages?Ó If you consciously send your children the right messages, the benefits for them will be profound. Your Children Are Listening offers: Nine essential messages all children need to hearÑon love, competence, security, compassion, gratitude, nature, respect, responsibility, and emotion Why these messages are so important The different ÒconduitsÓ through which children receive your messages ÒMessage blockersÓ that can prevent them from getting through And fun catchphrases and activities you can use to send these messages every day!