If you have children, you know that every moment of their everyday life matters a great deal. They grow, explore the world, play, and communicate, and then evening finally comes — time to wrap up an eventful day!
A few minutes of conversation before bed can help a child draw lessons from their mistakes, learn to work through pain and joy, and share their successes and achievements.
To do this, sit down on the bed next to your child and ask them: what upset you today? What made you happy? What new thing did you learn today?
These are ordinary questions. But they'll help you achieve several goals:
- You'll create a safe, trusting atmosphere, and a guarantee that your child will keep opening their heart to you in the future,
- You'll teach your child to work through their feelings, drawing experience from the situation,
- They'll understand that they're not alone in their negative experiences, and that they can count on your support,
- Your child will become aware of the chance to learn and discover the world a little more every day.
Use this moment of connection to ask God to help you or to forgive you in a difficult situation, and to thank God for the happy moments of the day that's passed.
This nighttime conversation will help your child express their feelings and clearly put their thoughts into words.
It will give you the chance to understand how your child perceives different events, and how they judge them.
A conversation like this will make your relationship warmer, and will serve as a guarantee for your continued connection going forward.
