Picture this: Your teenager comes home from school, clearly upset. Instead of retreating to their room as usual, they hesitate near your desk where you're working. This moment - this pause - is crucial. Your response in the next few seconds could either open or close the door to meaningful conversation.
- Why this matters personally:
- Every conversation builds or erodes trust
- These moments often come at inconvenient times
- The stakes feel higher as children get older
- Upsides of doing it well:
- Stronger parent-child bond
- Earlier awareness of potential problems
- Better outcomes in crisis situations
- Downsides of missing it:
- Decreased likelihood of future sharing
- Missed opportunities for guidance
- Potential for risky behavior going unnoticed
Kerry used to sit by front door, just to be available w/o pressure on Palmer. Mostly, he just walked by, but sometimes….Flop on couch.