Tip Thursday
Building mother-daughter relationships that last
A priceless tip that I want to share with you today, helped me build communication with my daughters and allow me to enjoy even teenage years with my girls. When they were pre-teens, I began to notice a pattern in my response to them. They would start to tell me something that was difficult to hear or ask me a tough question, and I would REACT. Many times the reaction was to the situation they were describing, but I was afraid that my reaction and (frankly speaking) my over-reaction might shut down communication. So, we developed a very simple “code” between ourselves. When the girls wanted to tell me something intense or awkward that might cause me to react, they simply would say: Can I talk to you? Which meant we should move to a private spot (as I cringed inside.) And then: Don’t get mad but … That little phrase gave me enough time to get ahold of my emotions, in order that I could hear what they wanted to tell me without an emotional reaction. It became a huge key for us throughout our lives. That key has helped us continue to develop a deep love and respect for each other, and I’ve been able to mentor my girls through good and hard times. I pray it will bless you also.
What are some ways that you encourage communication with your children?
(Leave me a comment in a reply below. I love hearing from you!)
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