Take Time to Talk Seriously With Child

Do you frequently take time to talk seriously with your child?  Talking seriously with your young person has great value in helping them hold the image of their life.  It helps them to remember how the struggles, difficulties, and challenges of life all fit together.  Talking seriously with your child helps them retain their center; it helps their self-esteem and adds to their perseverance and determination.  These talks don’t have to lecture and should not be.  They can be short; remember your focus, remember what’s going on with them today, this week, this school year, or whatever.  When faced with difficulties, kids can get discouraged quickly. They may even want to give up. Talking seriously with them helps remind them that anything worthwhile is uphill.  That there will always be something askew that needs adjustment or attention.  We are still problem solving, putting out fires, and pushing through the routine and difficulties we have in life.

I encourage parents to take stock of how often they talk seriously with their children.  Notice if it is seldom or frequent.  It should be routine, not a lecture, not your stories, but just a “hold your image” talk that helps them stay focused, be encouraged, and push forward.  For some kids, this is easier than it is for others.  Let your kids know that you have high expectations, that you expect them to pause between stimulus and response and choose an appropriate reaction.  Let them know that you want them to aim high and be willing to sacrifice and push themselves to achieve their destiny in life.

Having a serious conversation with your child is essential to work.  Here is another mom’s take on this topic, How to Have Difficult Conversations with Your Children — The Older Mom

Serious conversations require them to be Successful Conversations; here is a link to a blog on Successful Conversations, Successful Conversations – Dr. Rich Patterson (pattersonphd.com)

A talk like this with your young person can help them overcome the routines of life and be a problem solver when faced with challenges.

Yours for Better Parenting,

Rich