Communication with our Children
As school counselors, we are always encouraging our students to talk to people in whom they trust when they have something on their mind that they need to process. The first person we encourage our students to talk to is you, the parents. We continually talk about the best opportunities to approach you to start a conversation. The kids have mentioned that they like to talk to you during meal time, bed time, while driving in the car, when siblings are away, and the weekend... We would encourage you to ask your child, "Is there anything you want to talk about? Do you have any questions for me?" Remind them in these moments, such as bed time: "This is a good time to talk, if you have any questions," or "You know you can talk to me about anything." Kids process information they inquire about as they are ready to digest. We would suggest to answer only what they are enquiring about that day; however, there are times when we need to give them the framework of a topic to begin the thought process. Establishing and maintaining good communication with our children develops a positive relationship that will last a lifetime.
