The art of conversation

I recently read a great post on one of the blogs I follow; you can read it here. The topic is about teaching children how to converse with others, and I thought it was a good one for those of us with little ones to keep in mind as they grow older and begin to learn how to have a conversation with others. I think it was a challenge to me too, to examine how I converse with others. Am I always the one talking and trying to tell my stories and my opinions? Do I really listen to the other person when they are talking? Do I fall into an "interview-style" conversation where I answer the other person's questions but don't inquire about how the other person is doing and what is going on with them? Being that I am Ally's example, if I want her to one day learn how to converse properly with others, I need to practice good conversation skills myself. It is some good food for thought.