Scott Schimmel (00:09.61)
Well, happy holidays from you school to you all. Whatever you're celebrating, wish you the best. And knowing that you're gonna spend a lot of time likely with your kids, speaking to parents obviously, or teachers who have kids, we wanted to provide you some, just a real short episode that's an encouragement to leverage the time, to be strategic with the time that you have with your kids, especially the older ones. I just more...
conscious than ever that time is short and this is maybe the last second to last holiday with all three kids in her house all the time before a kid goes off to college. So how to be strategic with this downtime and I'm sure you're like me you think about your kids all the time you think about how to be a good parent how to guide them well you look for opportunities in the car.
on the way to school, away home from practice. You try to make the best of your family dinner time if you have the chance to have family dinners. And here we are with the unique opportunity to spend some time together, where they're not running off to hang out with their other friends, because their friends are busy with their families, and you have time together. So chances are, without really thoughtful, deliberate effort, you'll have a nice break. They'll have a nice break. You'll...
relax a little bit together, maybe watch a movie or two together, maybe do an outing. Also, you probably have a few irritable fights. Probably, I don't know, get on them about sleeping in, but will you have the right conversations with them that can help them grow, grow more into themselves, grow more clarity and self-aware towards their future? Here we go. So...
Different conversations to have with your kid. Number one, about their interests. What are they learning in this moment of time about themselves and where they're feeling drawn? I wanna help my kids think about and be thoughtful to pay attention to where their hearts, their instinct, their gut, whatever you wanna call it, their soul is drawn towards. What are the, and that could be school related, that can be what YouTube videos you find yourself listening to, what music.
Scott Schimmel (02:33.194)
Are you drawn to what sense of style, fashion? Where are you feeling drawn? I want my kids to learn that it's good and healthy and right and helpful to pay attention to their impulses. Where are you drawn? What are you interested in? Where are you finding yourself spending energy? What are you curious about? What are you investigating? What documentaries are you watching? What new artists are you listening to? What new style of film are you into?
Pay attention to that, that's one. The second one would be about role models. Who are the people that you find yourself looking up to? People that you know, people that you have a relationship with already. Maybe it's a family friend that they get to spend time with, an aunt or uncle, a grandparent. Perhaps it's a teacher, a coach. And maybe it's someone out in the world that they're seeing and listening to, a podcast that they've been following.
a new figure, celebrity that they like. So who are your role models? And it might actually work on the opposite side, kind of the anti-role models. Who are the people that you're spending time with, that you're recognizing, you're realizing you don't wanna be like them? To have comparison, either for or against, is a useful tool. There's utility in having people that you don't wanna be like, because it illuminates for our kids who they actually are. It resonates deep down. Don't be like that.
So ask about their anti-role models. You don't wanna spend too much time in negativity, but it can help. Aspirations, what kind of people are they wanting to turn into as it relates to their role models? What is it that underneath, what does it say about you? What kind of person do you wanna become? So ask about their aspirations, their ambitions, what new goals, what else is on your bucket list? As you think about.
the rest of your life. What's something new that you've been thinking about that you would love to have to do, a place you'd like to go, an adventure you'd like to have or go on. What's something, it's something you like to accomplish. Kind of the ambitions and bucket list can be a really good conversation starter and be a mirror to them. I notice, remember you used to be into this, are you still into that now? You used to like this, are you still interested in that? And then finally,
Scott Schimmel (04:59.102)
The last conversation I recommend you having with your kid is about hope in the new year. And if you've listened to other episodes about hope, we've had Dr. Ebi Trevino on who's a researcher, a quantitative psychologist, researcher in the science of hope. We've done other episodes on hope and the definition of it. Here it is. The belief that tomorrow is going to be better than today and you have a part to play in making it so. As it relates to New Year's resolutions next year, the turn of the calendar.
What are they hoping for? What are you hoping for? This would be the way I'd ask my kid. What are you hoping for in the start of this new year? Something that you can make a difference in, something that you are gonna do, something that you're gonna take initiative on, take action towards. So, recap. We want our kids to be more self-reflective, to build that in as a normal habit, that that's a part of doing life well. And what, self-reflection?
typically yields is more clarity and self-awareness and Evidently confidence. This is who I am. This is what makes me unique. This is what makes me different This is the unique path that I'm on and as you support them and your interest as you engage with them because you care about Them and are thoughtful to remember what they say The net effect of that For your kids my kids will be people who are growing into themselves, which is what we want We want them to be happy and successful
And you have a key, key part to play in that. So don't miss the opportunity over the break to start some of these conversations. With that, see you next year.
