My son isn’t much of a talker. At 13 years old, I’m lucky if I can wrangle a “fine” or a “yeah” out of him — and that’s on a good day.
Like many kids his age, my son is up in his head a lot of the time, daydreaming and formulating opinions about the great big world he’ll soon be stepping into. There’s a lot to think about, a lot to plan, and a lot to know.
Knowing him, he feels it all in a very big way.
As a busy parent, I’m guilty of assuming he’s got it. He is, after all, mature, smart, and sensible, but life moves a helluva lot faster now than it did when I was 13. Whether he has, in fact, “got it” or not, I still worry about his wellness. Is my kid struggling? Is he grappling with a decision larger than himself? Is there an issue weighing heavily on his heart? If there was, would he tell me about it? If I were him, would I?
In the hustle of our everyday — when the TV’s on and we’re running late and I’m bugged by the state of his room or the way he eats spaghetti — how likely is he to share with me? Probably not very. For this reason, I make a deliberate daily effort to put aside my parental gripes and talk with my son before bed. [read more…]
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