Sometimes it takes another voice to say the same things you are saying to your kid(s) about the most important things in life—just in a different way. That’s what we call “widening the circle.” So, how do you widen your family circle?
Summarized from this article on parentcue.org
1. Think about the adults who are already in your child’s life. If your child won’t talk to you about something, who do you want them to talk to? If your child is in middle school or high school, ask them who they would talk to. Write this person’s name down. It could be a teacher, a family friend, an aunt, a neighbor. Just make sure that the person shares the same vaule as your family does.
2. Invite people that you admire or want to get to know better into your family circle. You can do this by inviting them to dinner, volunteering at school or with your child’s sport’s team.
3. Appreciate and invest in those in your circle.
Encourage them with words like: “How can I pray for you?” “How can I make this relationship easier for you?” “Is there anything I can do to support you better?”
Do something thoughtful, communicate, say thank you, invite them over and build the relationship.
How do you encourage those in your circle? We’d love to hear more!