Being there for your kids - Enriching Your Child with Teachable Moments

Episode Date: February 17, 2019

What is a teachable moment, other than a great title for my parenting book, Teachable Moments: Building Blocks of Christian Parenting. Teachable moments are the heart of effective parenting. They are the pathway for your raising your child to become a caring, helpful, responsible, independent adult. They happen in good times and in bad, if you are looking for them. It's when your child "gets it." His face softens, eyes light up, and magical insight occurs. It's when you feel closest to your child. It's especially powerful when you are able to build a teachable moment out of a crisis or problem your child faces. Teachable moments build character, empathy, creativity, problem-solving, emotional intimacy, and healthy relationships. Finding teachable moments with your child is you being the best parent you can be.

This is Teachable Moments. I'm Dr. John Robinson. I talk a lot on the radio about teachable moments and give many examples, but now I want to ask, what is a teachable moment? There's no end to the opportunities and ways in which we can positively influence our children. Those opportunities are at the heart of teachable moments. Daddy, why do turtles have shells? Answering such questions softly, directly, and with emotional intensity creates a teachable moment. Well, sweetheart, that's a good question. The turtle. turtle's body is under that thick shell. It would be sad for turtles bodies to be exposed to the dangers of their world. Now, you don't have a turtle shell, and then I playfully poke my daughter's tummy. But how your mama and I love and protect you and keep you safe is kind of like having your own turtle shell.

When you notice your child having an emotional fever, however, start with active listening to help get the fever down before launching into a teachable moment. This stinks. My son slams his math book down and throws his pencil at the wall. I'm never going to get these stupid math problems. Now you have a choice. You can correct the behavior and misconnected with your son and not having a teachable moment. You stop that right now, young man. Get back to work. Math will be important to you one day. Or you active listen to help lower his emotional fever and reframe the event to help him get perspective. Wow, that math is kicking your butt. I hate it. I'll never get it. It's frustrating for it not to come easily to you, like playing baseball does, huh? But tell me something. Why are you so good at baseball? I'm a natural, my son smiles broadly. I see. Hmm, got all that talent without a lick of practice, huh? Well, no. I'm in the batting cage every day. I eat well, I get my sleep, I chill out, I listen to my coach. Hmm. So, if I'm hearing you correctly, there's a lot of hard work and effort to becoming a natural athlete.

Hmm. Okay, Dad, I see what you're doing. Oh, what's that? Well, my math teacher's my coach, and this stupid homework is my practice, and if I don't keep at it, math will kick my butt. Wow, I don't think I could have said it better myself. I've got some suggestions about that stupid math. Do you want to hear them? Teachable moments come in all shapes and sizes. They happen playfully out of fun times. They also happen seriously out of emotional storms. The key is to be ready for the opportunity and to make the most of it. Teachable moments create. fun, responsibility, creativity, problem-solving, emotional intimacy, and positive childhood memories. Teachable moments are your gift to your children. I'm Dr. John Robinson, licensed clinical psychologist and Christian parenting author, and this has been Teachable Moments. Teachable Moments, building blocks of Christian parenting is available online at Amazonbooks.com and in local and national bookstores. More on Dr. Robinson at TMC. P-I-N-C.com