Finding the Right Moment
Blow your kids’ minds one day by bursting through the back door and, instead of immediately asking them about homework or complaining about the traffic, say exuberantly, “I had such a great day today!” Then, whether they ask about it or not, tell them what was so great about it. Let your enthusiasm spill into your tone of voice and your gestures, and set the stage for a talk about what makes you happy.
Questions, Probes, and Ideas
- When’s the last time you had a great day like that?
- What were you doing? What was so great about it?
- What could we do to make tomorrow or the next day a day like that for you?
- What would you like to have accomplished at the end of tomorrow?
- Great days happen more often when I do what I love. What do you love to do?
- One thing that always improves my days is doing something to help other people; did you help someone today?
Follow-Through
Encourage your kids to make some plans for a really great day; offer to help on some parts of it, but be sure to leave room for his or her initiative, too. Consider planning a little surprise for the young person—a bit of extra time together, an unexpected early breakfast date on a school day, or a new used book or CD from the thrift store. Help him or her see that the more you visualize and plan for having great days, the more often they happen!
