Great Ideas for Talking to Your Kids - From Toddler to Teen
School is back in full-swing and that can mean super-busy
schedules, and oftentimes as parents, we begin to feel a little
disconnected with the younger members in our family.
Here are a few techniques to aid in how to talk to your child and teenager to truly foster positive feelings.
For the younger kids, a fun an interesting field trip into their thoughts can be found by asking them simply- What color is your day? Days can range from gray to purples and plaids. It's always fun to hear their reasoning for choosing a particular color.
Another easy and quick way to open up dialogue, with kids of any age is called "0 to 10". This is by far my favorite method for connecting.For us, it would typically happen at the dinner table; I would ask the kids "0-10?" and we would begin rating our day. It was a known rule that anything below a 7 would require a dissertation and audience participation, but I found the kids to really respond to this method.
The rating system really made it clear about the state of their emotional well being. These conversations would often evolve into problem solving, and caring speculations on why certain situations happened, or how they affected us in one way or another.
If dinner time seems too much of a "spotlight" situation for your sometimes shy kid, engaging them in an activity is often effective using manipulatives such as Legos, blocks and puzzles.
Chore time can be a great time to open up the lines of communication as well. By focusing your attention on the task at hand, you can help alleviate your child's uneasiness of being your sole focus. Working alongside your child can feel extra rewarding when it's accompanied by great conversation.
Don't discount the effectiveness of using technology for communicating with your teen. If your child is a texter, sending an encouraging word via text, can be more effective than just saying it. Same goes for social media like Facebook but try not to over do it and embarrass them in the process!
Encourage and talk to your kids and as they get older, you can eventually reduce your role from boss to coach.
Here are a few techniques to aid in how to talk to your child and teenager to truly foster positive feelings.
For the younger kids, a fun an interesting field trip into their thoughts can be found by asking them simply- What color is your day? Days can range from gray to purples and plaids. It's always fun to hear their reasoning for choosing a particular color.
Another easy and quick way to open up dialogue, with kids of any age is called "0 to 10". This is by far my favorite method for connecting.For us, it would typically happen at the dinner table; I would ask the kids "0-10?" and we would begin rating our day. It was a known rule that anything below a 7 would require a dissertation and audience participation, but I found the kids to really respond to this method.
The rating system really made it clear about the state of their emotional well being. These conversations would often evolve into problem solving, and caring speculations on why certain situations happened, or how they affected us in one way or another.
If dinner time seems too much of a "spotlight" situation for your sometimes shy kid, engaging them in an activity is often effective using manipulatives such as Legos, blocks and puzzles.
Chore time can be a great time to open up the lines of communication as well. By focusing your attention on the task at hand, you can help alleviate your child's uneasiness of being your sole focus. Working alongside your child can feel extra rewarding when it's accompanied by great conversation.
Don't discount the effectiveness of using technology for communicating with your teen. If your child is a texter, sending an encouraging word via text, can be more effective than just saying it. Same goes for social media like Facebook but try not to over do it and embarrass them in the process!
Kids love to know they are a contributing member of the family and that their opinion is valued. By asking your child's opinion or advice, without weighing them down with adult worries, you can foster positive feelings in your teen.
Smart parents give their children a million answers.Wise parents ask their children a million questions.
Encourage and talk to your kids and as they get older, you can eventually reduce your role from boss to coach.
Yvette M. Tripp
http://www.oregonkidsandfamily.com
Growing kids is an amazing experience. Finding relevant, current and helpful tips on raising them should be easy, fun, entertaining and educational. Let your kiddo feel the love with FREE fun printables on our website!
Find great tips, family-fun activities, crafts, pet pages, informative blogs and more on our website and Facebook page.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvette_M_Tripp
http://www.oregonkidsandfamily.com
Growing kids is an amazing experience. Finding relevant, current and helpful tips on raising them should be easy, fun, entertaining and educational. Let your kiddo feel the love with FREE fun printables on our website!
Find great tips, family-fun activities, crafts, pet pages, informative blogs and more on our website and Facebook page.
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