Five unique ways to connect with your kids

Showing your kids ways to become more self-aware to better prepare them for the world we live in, without telling them to become more self-aware. 

If any of you know me, you are aware I am not afraid to express my emotions. As adults, we are taught to do things a certain way to be appropriate when we show emotion. We are often taught to suppress most of what we feel to the rest of the world. I will share more on how to address this in this post. 

As parents, most of us are teaching what we know and are just trying to make it through the day. In my research and work with college students, I have seen how self-awareness can support young people to be successful. I have also seen examples of how a lack of self-awareness can impact their ability to believe in themselves. 

The research on Social Emotional Learning shows that for young people to thrive, they need to be well-developed with an understanding of self. According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional, Learning (CASEL), social-emotional learning (SEL) is “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

As a parent, nurturing social-emotional learning in my kids can be complicated. Especially when I am continuously working to improve my own self-awareness. I have stumbled upon some simple resources to learn more about the feelings my kids are experiencing without having them tell me what they are feeling. 

Reading Ninja Life Hacks books

These books have so many different ways to discuss emotions with your young people. They vary in subjects such as self-awareness, growth mindset, anger, and much more with lesson plans on how to move through emotions. These have been super helpful with our kids and support ages from 2 to 11+.

Playing games with conversation cards prompt young people to share more emotion.

As a family, we've found fun ways to share our hopes and dreams without saying you are sharing your hopes and dreams. Vulnerability does not come easy for most; this game facilitates vulnerable conversation by using fun prompts to start a discussion or answer questions. We also found a fun Jenga-type option as well. 

Coloring books or crafts 

Our kids enjoy coloring, painting, or crafting. These activities can be an easy way to connect with them while engaging in conversations about what they are doing. The coloring books prompt conversation which allows them to keep their minds active while connecting with you. 

Encouraging them to keep a journal and request they share updates regularly.

Journaling is an easy way to support the habit of practicing self-awareness. Learn more about the research behind the benefits of journaling in another blog post here. For young people, journaling can develop great habits and a better understanding of healthy practices.  Amazon has several fun options to support young people. 

Plug and play video games with a retro console.

We found that having a retro console and gaming system is fun because it allows my husband and I to travel back in time. Through this experience, we are encouraged to share more with one another about our experiences when we were their age. This is one of my favorite ways to connect with our kids. 

Whatever your method to connect with your kids (at any age), it may seem, at times, like you are not successful. Keep at it! Your efforts, although unseen and likely unknown, will have a lasting impact on them! Don't ever underestimate the power of being intentional in connecting with young people. 

Like this post and want to find more? Check out our website additional resources or tools to connect with yourself or the ones you love.