Day 1: Talk about family traditions
Some family traditions are so set in stone that we’re ankle deep in the cement and don’t even realize it –much less examine other options. You and your sister and your kids always make hundreds of elaborately-decorated Christmas cookies together a few weeks before Christmas. This year, ask for your kids’ input. What traditions do they like or not like? What ideas do they have?
Try to withhold your opinions. (Cement, remember?) Instead use the time to listen. In my research for For Parents Only, we found that kids often stop talking because they perceive parents as rotten listeners. They’ll open up, however, when we’re safe. By listening to your kids’ thoughts on minor things, you’ll open the door for them to trust you with harder conversations.
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