5 Key Times to Talk to Your Kids (Mama Monday Video)

5 Key Times to Talk to Your Kids (Mama Monday Video)

“Penny for Your Thoughts”

“What ya thinkin’?”

“Tell me everything…..”

“Let’s twalk!”

 

“Talk to me; show me that you care. Talk to me…I’ll listen to the words you say….You know I love you when I talk to you!”

Those were sayings/songs/sentiments I would say to my kids to get them to talk. They were used to me saying them….I had said them forever.

They usually WANTED to talk….

In part because we started when they were very young…

And in part because I was AVAILABLE! Always available….

(No television, computers, internet, smart phones, etc. for twenty-five years gives you a lot more time…oh to go back to “the good old days”!)

I did a Donna Daily video on Mama Monday about talking….

5 Key Times to be exact.

Here’s the video…and, of course, the outline! I’d love to hear your favorite talk times….email me or message me and tell me!

Love and hope, 

Donna

 

P.S. Be sure you get my Kids’ Faves freebie to find out your kids’ favorite things!

A. Start Now—Regardless of Where You Are!

1. Don’t think littles are too young

a. If you make talking a normal thing to them, they will always seek you out, always answer your questions, and always want your input.
b. Talk to them now—they’ll talk to you later!

2. Don’t think it’s too late

a. Might take more time, work, effort, and “detective work”—but still worth it.
b. Take different approaches

B. Five Key Times to Talk

1. Tucking in

a. “Malachi Time”
b. You tuck them in when they’re little; they’ll tuck you in when they’re older
c. Don’t be glad your teen went to their room early!
d. If they know they’ll have this time with you, they will save up things they need to discuss.

2. In the vehicle

a. “Who has their shoes on?”
b. Be careful using drive time for podcasts and phone calls
c. Be careful allowing kids to be on devices during drive time
d. Call it something “Talk and Drive” or “Road Talks” or something that indicates you are available when you’re in the vehicle with them

3. Table Talk

a. Have dinner together “more often than not” 
b. Make it a tech free time
c. Have talking prompts

i. Two roses and one thorn
ii. One great and one bad
iii. Good character I saw today
iv. Cards you draw
v. Read a quote or verse and discuss
vi. Question that gets answered by everyone around the table
vii. Use kids’ faves to ask favorites questions

4. “My Day” or “Day Away”

a. Kids remember to this day!
b. Let them choose what to do
c. Let them know you are available
d. Talk, talk, talk! And don’t put down or reprimand
e. One on one with both parents idea/spin off of this: Half birthday celebrations at restaurants with just the three of you

5. Activities Together

a. Art, cooking, exercising
b. Magazine Moments With Mom (MMM) 😊
c. Use little snatches of meal prep, grilling together, biking together, etc.
d. Driver’s training

C. Availability—Your Secret Parenting Weapon!

1. Make yourself available
2. Change your schedule
3. Drop the busy-ness!
4. Implement heart-focused parenting that is needed to raise kids today!

D. Resources

1. Podcast: Ways to Spend More Time With Your Kids https://characterinkblog.com/podcast-ways-to-spend-more-time-with-your-kids/ 
2. Podcast:Tips for Staying Close to Kids During Intense Training Times: https://characterinkblog.com/podcast-ten-tips-for-staying-close-during-intense-training-times/ 
3. Article: Four Things Teens and Young Adults Need: https://characterinkblog.com/?s=Four+things+teens+and+young+adults+need 
4. Article: Teaching Kids to Ask Questions: https://characterinkblog.com/52-weeks-of-talking-to-our-kids-when-its-time-to-ask-questions/ 
5. Video: Affirmation Cards: https://characterinkblog.com/52-ways-say-triff-affirmation-cards-families/ 
6. Keep Kids Close Cards: https://characterinkstore.com/product/keep-close-coupons/ 

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Talk While You Work

When you need to get things done might seem like a strange time to recommend as a talk time, but hear me out on this one.

 

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Talk While You Work

Not long ago, my twenty-one year old son stopped by as I was cleaning vegetables. He said, “Oh, you’re cleaning veggies. Remember when we used to bring a big tub of fruits and vegetables into the living room and we three boys would gather around them and peel, slice, dice, stem, and “julienne” pounds of produce while you read out loud to us for hours.”

“I’ll never forget,” I replied, getting a little misty-eyed.

(more…)

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: A Safe Place to Talk


“I just don’t feel like I can tell you anything.”

“You judge everything I say.”

“I know you won’t want to listen to this.”

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: A Safe Place to Talk

These are all phrases that our preteens, teens, and young adults might say to us—IF we do not open our hearts to them early and often, creating a safe place for them to talk to us.

A pivotal, crucial time to talk to our kids is when they need a safe place to talk.

(more…)

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Building Relationships

In my 52 Times to Talk, I have recently been discussing the Recipe for Rebellion—and how you can talk to your kids to avoid those “ingredients” that lead to our children rebelling.

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Building Relationships

Rules Without Relationship is the final ingredient—and probably the most critical of all of the ingredients to avoid. (Of course, without relationship, we as parents have no desire or motivation to try to explain rules, listen to their appeals, or remain consistent in our parenting.) Relationship must be in place in order to keep our children from rebelling against us.

(more…)

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Letting Your Kids Question You

 Quiet Questioning: Let Your Kids Question You Without Being Disrespectful

 

“Mom, that’s not fair!”

“Why can’t I…..”

“It’s her turn!”

52 Weeks of Talking to Our Kids: Letting Your Kids Question You

One of the ways that our children begin the disrespect spiral is when we let them “talk back” to us. At first, this can be simply questioning us with a slightly raised voice. But before we know it, it can become full-fledged disrespect. And the more we allow it, the more it happens.

(more…)

Pin It on Pinterest