Today's Tip for Families

[En español]

11-27-2024

Make Communicating a Regular Habit

You’re not alone if you worry now and then, “When my child is a teen, will we still be able to talk together easily?” Worrying won’t help—but developing a habit now of regularly communicating with your child will.

The key is to establish a pattern of communication. For example:

• Listen whenever your child wants to talk. If you can’t do it then, say when you can.
• Reconnect in the afternoon, if possible. If you’re at work, phone in for a few minutes if you can.
• Ask specific questions like, “What was the most unusual thing that happened today?” To get a quiet child talking, start with questions that aren’t threatening—“What do you think of the classrooms at school?”
• Take five or 10 minutes after lights out to talk. This is a great time for sharing feelings about the day and each other.

Brought to you by:

West Point Consolidated School District

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