Are you tired of those one-word answers your child or teenager gives in response to your questions? You ask how well he played in soccer practice, and he says, “Fine.” You wonder how he got along in school today, and he says, “Okay.” End of the “dialogue.”
Well, I have a suggestion that may help. I ran across a simple but very effective way to teach children the art of conversation. It was included in an article written by Sybil Ferguson in Woman’s Day. I’ve taught this technique to my own children and hope you will nd it helpful too.
Give three tennis balls to your daughter, and ask her to throw them back one at a time. Instead of returning the balls, however, simply hold them. Your daughter will stand there looking at you awkwardly and wondering what to do next. Obviously, it isn’t much of a game. Then you explain that good conversation is like that game of catch. One person throws an idea or a comment to the other, and he or she tosses it back.
Talking to each other is simply a matter of throwing ideas back and forth. For example, if you ask your daughter, “How did it go in school today?” and she answers, “Fine,” she has caught the ball and held it. We have nothing more to say to each other. But if she responds, “I had a good day because I got an A on my history test,” she has caught the ball and thrown it back. I can then ask, “Was it a difficult test?” or “Did you study hard for it?” or “I’ll bet you’re proud of yourself.”
To teach your children how to communicate, simply show them how to catch and throw. Even a very young child can understand that idea. It’s just a matter of playing the game.
From the book Dr. Dobson’s Handbook of Family Advice. Request your copy today, HERE.
Dr. Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice
Backed by more than four decades of counseling experience, Dobson provides a quick-access collection of advice on nurturing your marriage and children with love, grace, and biblical preparedness. Topics include boundaries, communication, discipline, divorce, forgiveness, health and safety, money, single parenting, self-esteem and self-respect, stress, and much more. Includes a new introduction from Dr. Dobson.