How to Get Your Child to Feel Comfortable Telling You What’s Going on in Their Life

How-To Create an Open & Honest Dialogue with Your Kids

The first day of school has either begun or is about to begin for most of our kids. Therefore, there are at least six hours of your child’s day that you have no idea about. You know that they are safe in school, learning, making new friends, and many other things. However, how do you get them to tell you some of the details about what went on in their lives all day?

Show that you care. These days, with all of the gadgets we all have, the number one most important thing you can do to show your kids that you care is to put away the technology. When your child is talking, actually listen. Show that you are actively listening by making eye contact and making inquiries while they are sharing their stories. You can’t do this if you are talking on the phone or checking your email. One activity I like to do at our dinner table is to ask everyone their most and least favorite part of their day. Include your own as well!

Show unconditional love and acceptance of your child. While you may not approve of your child’s decisions, always push home the message that you still love them no matter what. You are their one, main safe place in life. Your child’s sense of security and self-esteem is hugely based on whether they feel that they can trust you and feel emotionally safe with you. Guiding them without criticizing will encourage them to keep confiding in you.

Avoid criticism. Even though you might be cringing at some of the things your child is telling you, refrain from giving your judgment just yet. It is more important that your child feel comfortable confiding in you without feeling they will be rejected. Children who have experienced those types of situations with their parents are more likely to hide the truth from them. The reality of life is that we all make mistakes and our job as parents is to support our kids and help them through those mistakes. Life is all about learning, growing, and doing better.

Be aware of your child’s behavior. If a child has something going on that they haven’t told you about, sometimes you can tell that something is off by a change in their behavior. If they seem withdrawn, moody, aggressive, or anything else that is out of the ordinary, you might want to ask them about whether anything is going on that is troubling them.

As we all know, practice makes better. So, the more communication we have with our kids, the better we will both get at sharing and working together.
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!