When you are a parent you sometimes surprise yourself at the things you do or are willing to do for your child. You plan Guess Who a hundred times and act like you don’t know who your kid is, even though they pick the same person every time because it’s there “favorite”, even though you and his siblings have explained many times that’s not how you are supposed to play.
You learn about soccer what team people like Messi and Ronaldo play for, and what is a Rainbow, and what an Evee is and why you want to “go to a Gym” or “hatch an egg”.
You also read the same book as your 12 year old so you can have something to talk to her about. Yes, we talk, but have you ever asked a 12 year old how her day was? Some friendly advice—-DON’T! It will only leave you hiding in the bathroom with a whole tub of ice cream, trust me. However reading these books has actually been enjoyable and the first things she asks me when she gets home is what part I’m at. She always wants me to read the books she is because she wants to talk about them. I am not a fast reader and with everything else I have to do in a day it is hard to read sometimes, but I have found the time. I’m a multi-tasker after all, so while I’m on the soccer field waiting for practice to end, I pull out the book and read, read, read. I have done this with several books, but I have decided this is something I need to always be doing, and not just with her. I need to always find a way to connect with my kids. I can’t like everything they do, that would just be weird, but I am writing this so I can remind myself to always make sure I’m in to one thing they are at all times. It will not only help us connect, but I will always be able to learn and grow through them. I think that’s a great side effect of trying to be a good parent.
So how do you all connect?