Turning My Back On My Kids

I turn away from my kids on a regular basis. And it facilitates great communication.

Before you Mom-shame me for this behavior, let me explain.

Our 13-year-old daughter will talk to us about nearly any subject, any time, at any length. (Case in point, she literally JUST asked me if she’s talking too much right now.)

While I’m thankful that she talks to me so easily, our 11-year-old son is a bit more reticent. With both kids – and especially my son – sometimes the more difficult subjects are better conquered when we’re not face-to-face.

For us, the best talks often come when we’re in the car and they're seated behind or beside me. Of course, I can’t take credit for this idea – I read this advice many years ago. But there are many other situations where we can communicate with our children and teens in a non-threatening way.

At our house, the kitchen is great place for us to share what’s happening in our lives. While we work side-by-side (or as I cook and they do homework), I’m often amazed at all the different things we talk about. And I’m fairly certain that we’re digging in much deeper to these important topics than if our chats had a forced feeling about them.

If you’re looking for new ideas to connect with your kids, here are a few activities that could lend themselves to relaxed interactions:

• Shooting hoops or going for a bike ride

• Cooking dinner for your family – or for an elderly neighbor

• Volunteering with a group like Habitat for Humanity

• Grocery shopping or picking up supplies from the hardware store
• Walking the dog or hiking some trails