Focus on the Family Magazine - April/May 2022

CONVERSATIONS / HACKS & FACTS
BOOK TALK
In our family of book lovers, our goto
conversation starter goes beyond
“What are you reading?” to “Tell me
about the hero or the villain. Why do
you like or dislike that character?” My
husband and I get a glimpse at our
kids’ favorite fictional characters and
also learn what personality traits our
kids admire.
—Julia Springman
reflection
questions
© ALTO IMAGES / STOCKSY UNITED
conversation cues
I use two questions to get great conversations rolling with my
kids: “If you could make our family rules, what would they be?”
and “What is something you’re happy you get to have?”
I always find out something interesting in my kids’ answers.
—Laura Schwier
use your words
When my kids were younger, I started intentionally verbalizing
my feelings. For example, if I heard a loud noise, I would say, “Oh!
That loud noise scared me.” Or when our family endured hardship,
I openly expressed my feelings of heartbreak. After a while, I
noticed my oldest started voicing his feelings more. The more we
talked about feelings, the more my son realized that he was safe
to open up and tell me about situations in which he was scared
or frustrated or sad. As we talked about these challenges, we
discussed the best ways for him to handle his emotions. I am able
to help guide my son in a way that is more productive because we
can discuss feelings openly.
—Niki Poland
Every day, my husband, daughter
and I ask each other two questions
so we can connect and learn
more about each other’s life. The
first question has worked well at
our dinner table to encourage
conversation: “What are you
GLAD about today?” This is a
little acronym we developed, so
my daughter starts things out by
sharing something she is Grateful
for from that day; something she
Learned; something she Achieved;
and something that made her
feel Delighted. The answers
have often evoked laughter and
curiosity as my husband and I ask
follow-up questions to deepen the
conversation. And then it’s our turn
to answer the same question.
The second question concerns
faith: “How were you like Jesus to
someone today?” This prompts my
daughter to reflect on her day to
consider the opportunities she had
to be kind, forgiving or inclusive to
someone in need.
—Colleen Lasky
APRIL / MAY 2022 FOCUS ON THE FAMILY 11