Most parents with school-aged kids spend significant amounts of time driving...to school, to practice, to friends' houses...What happens in your car during these times? Do you pop in a DVD? Talk on your cell phone? Tune out? Listen half-heartedly to complaints & bickering?
Or do you value this time as precious?
Here's what I've found:
- You have a captive audience when you are in the car together. Don't take this time to "lecture", but converse. My daughter always opens up about what's going on in school. See this time as a chance to find out what's going on in their lives. I find out more about Amber's life during car rides than I do at any other time.
- Listening to the music your kids listen to connects you. Let them select the station/song. You may not particularly enjoy the music, but this is about connecting. Don't cut yourself off from your kids' world...share it. I will listen (and sing along) to many of the finds on my 13 year old son's ipod.
- (side note: do not attempt to be "cool"...you will never succeed in your middle-schoolers eye!)
- Allow for a quiet ride. No music...just quiet.
My heart aches when I see the same mom, day after day, in the car-rider lane at school, on her cell phone, with the dual DVD players on in the back...
Parents, you have the most influence on your child...every moment counts!!!
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