You don’t necessarily like someone because who the person is; you like the person because of the person’s effect on you. What kind of effect are you having on the children in your life?
Following are three questions that any parent can ask their children on a regular basis (or any teacher can ask students in a class meeting).
1. What did you learn this week that’s valuable enough for a lifetime? (Remember: we find what we look for.)
2. Do you have an issue, problem, or a concern you would like to discuss?
3. What do you feel good about or proud of that you’ve done this week?
(Note: If you are a parent or teacher asking a BOY, don’t expect him to open up by just engaging in conversation. Get him involved in some activity [walking qualifies] before engaging in such talk.)
The purpose of these questions is to help children understand that you care about their point of view, their experiences, and their concerns. When children feel that the adults in their life listen to them and really hear them, you’ll discover that discipline challenges diminish while the youth’s level of responsibility increases. It’s amazing how three simple questions can make all the difference in your relationships with youth.
