This is the second article in a series of articles that I am dedicating to connecting with your child.
Spending time with your kids doesn't have to cost a lot of money, nor does it require that you be super creative or spontaneous. Some of the best moments I've shared with my son have been the everyday, mundane activities in our lives. What made them special was that somehow, they turned into teachable moments where we both learned something new and interesting.
The following article is about such a moment. What I hope you'll get out of this is that ANY amount of time you spend with your child in an engaged and genuinely respectful way will make a huge difference in your relationship with them. Most of the time kids don't want to be lectured by their parents...and unfortunately, parents tend to do a lot of that when pressed for time. Making the most of the mundane is what this is all about. If I don't have the time to be actively engaged in my child when we first get home, I make sure that I am at some point...any point...later in the day. Small talk turns into big rewards if it happens on a regular basis. Small talk is a good way to get to know unique bits and pieces of who your child really is and what drives them.
The making of this peanut butter and jelly sandwich was a fun and educational experience for my son and myself as well. I learned why he doesn't really like the smooth peanut butter (he had a bad dream about drowning in it once) and he learned why I really love jam instead of jelly (I had a bad dream about drowning in it when I was a child that I never shared with anyone). We connected over the smallest of things, but in the process, we laughed, shared our other fears, likes, dislikes, and also learned some cool new trivia about peanut butter and jelly with which to impress friends and relatives!
What's For Dinner?
A few nights ago, my son walked into my room and asked that question to which I had no immediate reply. It was hot. It was the weekend. I was feeling lazy and really didn't feel like driving to get take-out. So I told him to go look in the pantry and fridge and find something we could make that would be easy and not use too many dishes.
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