I’ve always gotten a kick out of asking my son “hard” questions, just to see what he comes up with as a response. I’ve been doing it since he was young, for my own amusement but to also encourage critical thinking. You’d be amazed at what a 4-year-old will tell you about friendships and human dynamics. Trust me.
Now that my son is 10 (and a pretty mature 10), I actually have learned to really value his opinion. He is incredibly insightful. And a kid has such a pure way of analyzing situations – he can actually take me out of my web of thoughts and break things down so simply.
I also think that by bringing my son into my world a little bit and asking for his take on things, it builds trust between us. I know my son really values and takes pride in the fact that I ask for his advice. It also encourages him to come to me when he’s going through something.
Feeling lonely? Lost? Challenged? Lean on your kid’s shoulder. I’m not suggesting your burden them with big grown-up stuff on the regular, but don’t discredit them based on age. You just might be surprised by how much they can actually teach you.
A full-time work-from-home mom, Jennifer Cox (our “Supermom in Training”) loves dabbling in healthy cooking, craft projects, family outings, and more, sharing with readers everything she knows about being an (almost) superhero mommy.
