Accidental Intentional Parenting
Unexpected teaching moments are somehow one of the best teaching processes.
When my grandson arrives home after school, I always ask, "What three good things happened to you today?"
He answered that he was studying about the Hubble Shuttle, but why did he have to study Astrology? He said, "Is that evil? You know like from the Bible right? We are not supposed to use fortune tellers, right?"
This got me puzzled and I asked, "Are you studying star pictures from the Hubble; so are you studying Astrology or Astronomy?"
• Astrology - the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets of human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects.
• Astronomy - the study of objects and matter outside the earth atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties.
I think this is a time for me to act on this.
You can clarify all misinformation and motivate your teen by asking open ended questions. With this type of conversation, I was able to correct his values that hinder him from following his teacher. Now, it was clear to him what is the family value system regarding fortune telling. He excitedly discussed all the cool stuff he learned about the Hubble space project, and we both learn in the process.
Leave a Legacy (Action Steps)
1. Make an effort to ask everyday, "What three good things happened to you today?"
2. Listen to them and remember what they say.
3. Make the conversation fruitful by correcting all misinformation, clarify values and provide the much needed encouragement.
LeAnna Benn is co-founder of Teen-Aid, Inc. and National Director since 1981. Teen-Aid is considered one of the best, most comprehensive abstinence programs in the nation. LeAnna has many years experience as a consultant to parents and educators in implementing abstinence education. She has trained hundreds of public school teachers and counselors on how to use the Teen-Aid program. To effectively reach young people with successful living principles please visit My Teen [http://helpingmyteen.com/]
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