Part VI of VI “How to Talk” Parenting Skills to Try: Putting It All Together

 

(In case you missed Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, or Part V)

Real life happens at a much faster pace than scenario exercises and we rarely have time to contemplate options prior to engaging with a child. However, when we aren’t being challenged is a great time to learn about tools, such as the ones given in this book. Some similar real-life scenarios could trigger memories of a situation given in the book and present an opportunity to use some tools. It’s very difficult at first, but I’ve found that I can always come back to these tools after failure. The more I use these tools the more automatic they become, just like any learned behavior. Be gentile with yourself, there will continue to be many times when you don’t react in the ideal way and that’s okay. At any point we can always take time to listen to our children’s feelings, talk about our own feelings, or work in terms of future solutions. Just do your best and that’s all you can do. (If you're interested in learning more about this skill in greater detail, you can buy the book How to Talk so Kids will Listen & Listen so Kids Will Talk.)