If your teenager isn’t always easy to talk to, then stay tuned! On today’s Home School Heartbeat, homeschooling father Scott Somerville shares some practical ways you can keep open the lines of communication.
Mike Farris:
Scott, we’ve talked about the huge impact fathers can and should have in the lives of their children. But you know, that really changes, to some degree at least, in the teen years. What do you suggest for fathers who want to foster open communication with their teens and older children?
Scott Somerville:
Well, there are some old-fashioned methods and then some newer methods. Old-fashioned methods are really easy. Crack jokes. Make eye contact. Be thankful for your kids. One of the messages I deliver to homeschool dads over and over again is just the power of gratitude. I try to make it my business to come up with seven different things each week to be thankful for about my children. And if I let them know what I’m grateful for, they are so much better able to hear the one or two things that we’re still working on. So whether it’s gratitude or just cracking jokes, those are old-fashioned ways.
In this 21st century, there’s some new methods to making sure that you’ve got open communication with your children. If your kid’s on Facebook, you ought to be on Facebook, too. If your child has a blog, you ought to read it. I try to email my children on a regular basis as part of my quiet time. I want to make sure that I am talking to them and listening to them.
Mike:
Scott, those are great ideas. And it may push some families out of the computer-Luddite mode into a little more computer-active mode as a way to integrate with their children. Thanks so much. I’m Mike Farris.
If you’ve appreciated Scott Somerville’s encouragement for fathers this week, we invite you to join us for his presentation, What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew, on HSLDA’s @home e-vents!
Scott will be presenting this live, interactive webinar Thursday, June 18. Register for this live e-vent or watch Scott’s presentation at our archive. This e-vent is free, but space is limited.
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Paul Tripp uncovers the heart issues affecting parents and their teenagers during the often chaotic adolescent years. With wit, wisdom, humility, and compassion, he shows parents how to seize the countless opportunities to deepen communication, learn, and grow with their teenagers. The teenage years are often viewed by parents as a period to be survived. This book departs from that mentality and describes these tumultuous years as years of boundless possibilities and promise.
Whether you want to stay abreast of homeschooling news and legislative issues, hear about the latest @home e-vent webinar, or get specialized help for teaching your high schooler—or struggling learner—or elementary student, HSLDA’s e-lert service has something valuable for you. Sign up here!
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