I find with having three teenagers I never know when I will have an opportunity to have a meaningful conversation.
Right now with finals about to start, sports, and my oldest daughter having all those exams to apply for college, dinner recently has been more hectic and short. So Monday night when my son and I were watching 24 together and it led to discussions on the roles of parents, we were debating the lead character’s choice in profession, putting his children’s lives at risk to save the country (very dramatic), and is that being a responsible parent.
We then talked about what it means to be a parent, why parents need to be around to set rules and limits, and my son thanking me for caring so much. Any of you with teenagers know it is a rare occasion your child will thank you for being around. What a great moment for both of us. I realized that watching TV with your child can be a very meaningful experience. There have been other times in our life as a family when a movie or TV show has sparked a great discussion between all of us.
So if you allow you kids to watch TV, watch with them as there is always some message or theme worth discussing. And for kids or teenagers, what an opportunity to discuss topics that may be hard to introduce yourself (sex, drugs, violence, what kind of humor is OK). Again, I am reminded of how important it is to have conversations with each other and make the most of any opportunity. Be creative.
Use the box of questions in the car, at dinner, parties, and use them at other times to engage with kids, friends or spouse. We all feel great afterwards. Before my son went to sleep that night we again had a conversation about how great the show 24 is to watch together because there is always something for us to talk about.
Please share with us any great conversations you have had lately.
Cece Feiler
