Say WHAT?!?!

Can you recall the last conversation you had with your kids? Pick one child (I suggest picking the one you have the most difficulty with) and try to remember the last conversation you had with them. Can you remember? Unfortunately, I can't.

Part of that is because sometimes I get so busy and wrapped up in doing my own thing (cleaning, scrapbooking, blogging, reading, etc.).

When child says something, instead of "uh-huh," reply letting them know you were listening. "You are right, that is a big plane!" It not only validates the child (who doesn't like to know that they were heard? I even sometimes ask my beloved to validate me), but let's the child know that what they had to say was valuable to you.

I was reading in a magazine (Above Rubies?) where the mom was lying in bed (trying to sleep) when her three teenage daughters came bursting into the room and onto the bed. They had just gotten back from visiting a neighbor with a newborn baby and they want to talk to Mom all about it. They talked in that bed for hours! She never got her nap but what she got was much more valuable! And she knew it too. She was so thankful for all those times she took to be with her girls and now that they were older, they continued to enjoy being with their Mom.

A dear friend of mine recently gave me some good advice. DON'T WAIT! When your child comes up to you and wants to talk, put away that book and BE with your child. When they ask you to do something, stop reading and blogging and DO with your child. Don't say "one more minute" because you and I know that it usually takes a lot longer than one more minute. And by the time it comes around that one minute would have turned into several years and you will be wondering where the time went and why your child is so distant from you.

I know that I am one who sometimes likes to wait until things are perfect before doing the,. And I don't like messes. So we usually don't do as many crafts as the kids like. But the other day I grabbed some sewing kits I had (to make felt purses) and all us girls sat in the living room sewing our purses. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!! I realized just how WELL my 4 year old could sew! I knew the other two were, but I would have missed out had I not taken the opportunity to DO it NOW with my children. It is so cute to see the girls walking around with purses THEY made (and of course showing and telling Daddy all about it).

And when that child of yours seems to ramble on and on about something that seems meaningless to you but must be so important to your child because they won't stop talking about it, LISTEN to them. Last night I had the most wonderful conversation (at 12am) with my daughter. She had woken up and needed to use the restroom. She started talking, and I started listening. It is WONDERFUL to hear what is going on in her little mind right now!

Anyways, I hope this encourages you as much as I was encouraged by my friend.