Weary Parent: Parenting Tweens & Teens

The Power of an Ice Cream Cone

by char on February 1st, 2007

With three kids all with busy schedules, finding time to connect one-on-one with each of them can be a challenge.

My oldest is a boy and he is very independent, low maintenance and quiet. He is not one to speak out of turn, would rather read a book at meals, and can entertain himself for hours. However, getting N-Boy to tell me what is on his mind or going on at school can be like pulling teeth - painful.

Thanks to our schedules this year, I have found a new secret weapon in my communications arsenal - ice cream. Yep, you want a boy to talk - feed him ice cream. On Tuesdays I pick up N-Boy from school and we have 30 minutes of time, just the two of us, before we pick up the five-year old Diva from preschool while M-Girl stays after for Brownies.

Our secret ice cream outing has proven to be priceless. While sampling all the flavors our favorite little haunt has to offer, I have managed to get N-Boy to give me some insights into his 5th grade day - from the tales of the mean girls to the triumphs during Chalkboard Jeopardy. We can talk about subjects he’d rather not have his nosy sisters hear. We share goofy jokes, I hear about the latest video game tricks he’s learned, and we connect.

Oh by the way - it is our little secret - he knows that if his sister’s catch wind of this, it will be over. And that just adds to the power of our ice cream.

Do you have any magic communication tricks up your sleeve? Leave me a comment and let me know what works for you!

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POSTED IN: Communication, School Issues