(Photo Creds: We Heart It)
(I want to note that if you don’t happen to have kids, the ideas in this post could pretty much be used in any conversation with someone you care about… I hope you find it helpful!)
As a mom, I am always mindful of ways to be better in that role. As the boys get older, I find this more challenging. I want to be someone they can always trust to listen to their heart (without judgement), but someone who they know will also spur them along toward God’s gifting in their lives. This can be done through encouragement, brainstorming the “possibilities” together and even rebuke and course-correction.
I’d have to say I’m not so good at the latter. I find it challenging given the different personality types knowing just how to approach certain topics, while honoring how they think and digest information. I long for the spirit of a great teacher or coach who knows just how to train and get the best out of their students.
Every summer of the boys’ younger years we went to an amazing family camp, Pine Cove in Tyler, Texas. Beyond the family excitement part, the best part for me was getting great training on parenting and leadership in the home. The parents had an opportunity to hear world-class speakers who spent a portion of each day speaking into us and giving us ideas on how to grow as a parent. I have found that since we aged out of camp, so to speak, a couple of years ago that it has been helpful for me to sit down for a week in the summer and maintain this focus, which is where this blog was birthed.
Through reading, scripture and conversation, I made this list of questions or conversation starters that could be used as a template for these 1-on-1 discussions.
The idea here is to focus on soul questions:
- How are you?
- What are you seeing? Are you on the path you want to be on?
- What do you think life is teaching you right now?
- What are you learning?
- Where do you want to travel? What do you have planned that is “fun” and filling of the soul?
- What are you reading?
- What are you living for?
- What gets in the way?
- How can I best help/encourage/inspire/support you?
This I hope gives you a list to start from. I’d love to hear what others you have!
This is a great list. I think so many times as mothers we get so used to mothering- telling our kids what to do and guiding them. As they get older, they still need us but in a different way.