Getting Kids Talking Giveaway with Mary DeMuth
In my post earlier this week, we chatted a bit about raising kids who are passionate, not perfect.
Another goal I’ve had as a mom is to raise kids who will confide in us. Communication is key to any healthy relationship but sometimes getting kids to open up isn’t the easiest task to accomplish.
Enter my friend Mary DeMuth.
Mary is a writer, speaker, wife, mother, writing mentor and worshipper. A prolific southern fiction writer, she also has two fabulous books for helping parents raise kids who are confident, courageous Christ-followers. I’m including a copy of each in today’s giveaway. It includes:
~ A copy of 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking
~ A copy of You Can Raise Courageous & Confident Kids; Preparing Your Children for the World They Live In
~ Some Orville Redenbacher’s movie theatre butter popcorn to munch on while you talk with your kids
Hear Mary’s heart on a few elements brought forth in her books:
Mary, what prompted you to write 150 Quick Questions?
I wrote the questions because I grew tired of just doing “What was your high & low point of today?” around the dinner table. I wanted to delve more deeply into my kids’ hearts.
So I wrote up 150 questions, printed them, cut them into strips and put them in a basket in the middle of our kitchen table. The kids took turns taking them out. So we tested all of these before they ever became a book. In fact, it was a few years before Harvest House published them.
Why do you feel engaging kids in conversations is more valuable than issuing ultimatums?
Engaging kids in chatter is a great way to our kids’ hearts. They’re more likely to entrust us with their secrets, fears, and wishes if they feel we’re listening. They will naturally confide if they feel safe. It’s always better to go for relationship, because good behavior flows out of good relationship.
What is the best piece of parenting advice you’ve ever been given?
Best piece of advice: Look into your kids’ eyes. Stop and pay special attention to them when you’re talking to them. Make them feel like they’re the most important person in the room.
Okay friends, if you would like a chance to receive this helpful book bundle, leave us a comment telling us either the best piece of parenting advice you’ve been given or your favorite way to connect with your kids—a game, tradition or simple activity. Winner announced Friday.
Blessings,
Moments are important….anywhere….anytime….stop and listen!
Slow down and enjoy your kids sometimes….
Best advice: Have a home where your kids friends like to hang-out. I always to try to have their favorite foods on hand, wlecome them warmly without judgement and engage them in conversation. P.S. I absolutely LOVE Mary DeMuths fiction series!
I am so thankful for this reminder to be involved in discussions with my kids daily and I love the idea of the questions drawn so that the discussion is different and spontaneous! Thank you for your blog!
We are a game playing family. I get the best conversations during these fun times.
My favorite way to connect with my son is doing an activity we both enjoy, such as bike riding, walking our dog, playing Wii, or scrabble. Best parenting advice is to pray over him everyday!!
Best Advice – Pray for your children daily. I pray with my two kids every day before they leave for school. Sometimes it is just a quick one and other times a little more thoughtful. They sometimes remind me now when I forget. I try to pray for them during the day too, especially if they have something special or challenging going on that day.
I am also trying to spend more time with each child individually when possible. My son is very talkative – but so is my daughter when I get her away from her brother! We have had some great conversations recently just tooling around in the van doing errands!
It is really important to establish communication with your kids when they are small. By letting them know that talking with you is a safe place to come with questions about any subject, it paves the way for the deeper discussions you’ll have as the children grow up. Always keep your answers age-appropriate, and they’ll come back for more information when they are ready.
I love that line: “good behavior flows out of good relationship.” I have two teens, and this bundle would be awesome timing for us! I think the best piece of advice we received is to remember that as kids grow older and have times where they act like they don’t want you to be “near” (even a hug), don’t believe it! They DO want us to draw them close and love them, in all stages and seasons.
I always spend time with each of my kids before they go to sleep. Sometimes they want to talk to much but usually it’s a good time to connect with them and really find out about what happened during their day. My youngest also still likes the snuggle time and would love it if I stayed in his room til he was sleeping. These books look great!
Rebecca Ann
Best piece of advice ~ “It is always easier to never allow than it is to allow and then take away!” I have used this from the time my kids were toddlers wanting to play with my cell phone, to 4 year olds wanting to drink pop, to now my 7 year old wanting to run around the whole neighborhood…. If I stick to my guns the first few times they ask, they really do quit asking and receive the message as fact and the fight is over. If I slip up just one time and allow something in a desperate moment, it becomes an ongoing battle to take it away.
I love the journey of parenting and all that it is teaching ME!
Best advice- if you misuse it, you lose it for dealing with behavioral issues.
The best way to communicate that I have found with my step-children is a Conversational Question card game. The topics range from politics, religion, personal, family, friends, etc…. With my children, they were just brought up in a different atmosphere of always talking, during meals, in the car, everywhere… even when their friends were over.
Sylvia
I Have learned to ask questions to help them identify their feelings. My kids are 10, 8, 4 and 3, sometimes the younger ones don’t know how to say this how I feel. My older ones I constantly let them know I am here to listen no matter what they have done, I even use how I feel to let them know it’s ok to have whatever feelings they may have. I also pray to God to give me words to help them especially with the difficult feelings or situations; whatever the case may be. I give them the freedom to feel and that seems to help them open up! God Bless!
I started using the time in the car for one on one conversation with my kids several years ago. They felt free to talk while I was keeping my eyes on the road. I would offer advice / wisdom in small chunks and they would be ‘surprised’ that I actually understood. They are 20 and 17 now and now they ask for my insight!
At this stage (my boys are 18 and 21) I have to LOVE them, even though I don’t always like them. I am slowly learning to lay my burdens of parenting at Jesus’s feet, and am praying for wisdom in what I say to them with much love. The love is often not returned, but I/we continue to lift them up.
Best Advice? Your children are little recorders. They soak up everything you say and do. — And sometimes even repeat it!! In Chuch! haha
Best parenting advice–“It’s just a season.”. meaning it’s just a season as a little newborn, sleepless nights, 2 year-ols tantrums, etc. Treasure the season of parenting you’re in right now. It will be gone in a flash!
love them….love them….love them….enjoy every single second you have with them.
Treat your children with respect and love them as Jesus does:) Be sure you teach them about Jesus beginning early in their life.
Best piece of advice? Cherish every moment. Be thankful for the phase they are in now (the good & the bad) it will go by way to quickly.
Oops….parenting advice! Love them, spend time with them, look at them when they talk to you so they know you ARE listening. Hugs them every day and say I love you every day.
Always be kind. If someone hurts you kill them with kindness. Revenge will get you no where and walking around angry only hurts you, no one else. This advice came from my mom and it honestly took me along time to understand. ;-)
I make sure that I always apologize to my kids any time that I do wrong!
My kids love to go for walks. We always talk about what is going on in their little lives, school, what they are looking forward to, and observing God’s beautiful creation.
Best piece of advice – remember that they are all different; they have unique needs, personalities, gifts and abilities.