Communication skills

Don’t Talk About Dirty Stuff Divorced Dads

Put your focus where it should be: talk about nice stuff your child tells you

Can you ask multiple questions about the fun things that happened at school? Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash

I’ve seen it happen so many times. Every time my heart sank. Sometimes I was able to jump in and turn the conversation about the great stuff that happened also. I still remember the looks I got from the dads.

It seems so much easier to do: talking about the negative, dirty stuff that happened that day in school. I hear dads asking all kinds of questions so they’ll get a clear picture of everything that has gone wrong. I’ve never heard that when their child said, ‘It was fun, today!’

While there is so much more bonding to gain when asking helpful and hopeful questions. There is so much more positivity to gain when you both talk about the good stuff. I mean actually talking about the fun of that day.

That means asking questions about it.

• What exactly was fun?
• Where did that happen?
• Did the other kids also enjoy it?
• Would you like to have another such day?
• Was it something to laugh about or to feel proud about?
• Did you like the nice atmosphere of helping each…