#9 of 20 Tips… is ‘share your experience with troublesome issues’. What troublesome issues? Well: drug use, abuse, bullying, lack of confidence, acne, bad hair days, mood swings, sex, pregnancy… take your pick.

What comes up in the moment? Are you watching to see and feel their happiness? In all of the discipline, training and ‘education’ they’re getting, there are bound to be stress setbacks for them, information overloads. Parenting is a master-craft. We gain skill as we go along only as we are paying attention to what is needed in any given moment.

Talking is important but listening is even more important. Giving forth your wisdom is important and listening for the needed wisdom DETAIL is important. Too much information for the age of the recipient is not helpful nor understood. You don’t want to talk on and on about the chemical, scientific facts of a matter without relaying YOUR experience, YOUR story about it. Have it be experiential for them. They learn better and the lesson stays with them longer.

I might add that it’s more fun for you to parent this way. As you’re relaying your experience, you’re recalling what it felt like to be their age or in their position. You’re ‘remembering’ and can be more compassionate about their current position. Remember also that they WANT to know how to maneuver in this world from YOU. It’s best to get the bulk of this information in them BEFORE they are 18 years old and magically KNOW everything!

Does your child know that MOST of us/you have experienced bullying of some kind as a child/teen?