Raising Teen Girls.
Volumes have been Written. Analyzed. Dissected.
Through the Centuries, Teens are the Pinnacle of Parenting Woes.
But In All the Writings, Communication is Key.
Talking Openly. Lovingly. Safely.
Today With Everyone Flying in All Directions, Finding a Captive Teen Audience is Vital.
Conversations Over a Meal is Working for Us.
Talking and Sharing a Meal. Together.
At These Meal Times, We Tackle Some Critical Issues. Teens. The World. School Home.
Over a Lunch of Blue Corn Enchiladas with Sour Cream, We Talk of the Sweet Expectations of Puberty.
Munching on Crunchy Taco Shells adds Humor to the Delicateness of the Topic.
Sharing a Hard Shell Taco Salad and Talking of Hard Head Attitudes on Bully Behavior.
What to Say to Bullies. How to Recognize a Bully. How to Be Sure We’re Not the Bully.
Wrapped Up in a Delicate Shell of Tolerance.
A Little Side of Spicy Salas to Remember to Add Spice and Still Be Kind to Each Other.
Dinner Discussions on the Current Political Soup of Things.
All In the Soup. Sliced. Stirred. But Can the Flavors Work Together?
Talks to Emphasize Why We Should Learn from the Past. To Be Better in the Future.
Lots of Dinner Talks on Our Impact on the Environment.
How to Act Now for Clean Water for All in the Future.
The Girls have Lots of Interesting Ideas. Sometimes They Talk. We Listen.
Keeping a Natural Flow of the Discussion Works.
We Try to Impart a Balanced Combination of Politics and the Environment on a Combination Plate.
There’s Even Moments for Religion.
Religious Tolerance. Acceptance of All.
Embracing the Differences that Make Us Human.
Talking about How to Help Our Friends in Need. And Recognizing When to Enlist the Aid of Adults.
Striving to be in the Light. No Negativity. No Hate. Guided by Kindness.
Always Working to Patch Up the Differences Between Us.
With Respect and Dignity for the Process.
Respecting Yourself and Each Other. And Striving to Make a Difference.
Teaching Teen Girls to Learn and Love Who They Are and What They Want to Be.
This is a Magical Time.
All Over a Simple Meal. Together.
Great, creative post! When my kids were teens, I wish we’d had more dinner conversations, and I wish I’d listened a little harder to what they were thinking and feeling.
Thanks for the vote of confidence…it’s not easy, but we’re trying…glad to hear we’re on the right track.
Dang, buddy, I got hungry; the message is a good one for us to continue to carry
Absolutely the best post! So so important in this crazy busy world we live in to reconnect at the end of the day. Sad that so many families are too caught up in the chaos to do this. It is always a challenge,but just keep swimming. You are getting there and doing a great job. Love you all.
Thank you…coming from a mom of 4, I’m honored to have your praise.
When the girls were at home, I tried to generate conversation during dinner. Sometimes it worked, other times there was little response thanks to distractions or their feeling mom was intruding. It was still worth the effort!
Hi Lulu…it’s good to know we’re on the right track…bumpy at times, but the right one nonetheless. 🙂
I so agree with you. We insisted our kids always be home to sit down to dinner together. I’ve been hesitant forever, in fact, to get rid of our kitchen table because of all the “life” that went on at it. Not just loving, but arguing, and wondering, and story-telling. Oh if our tables could talk! When the kids were finally in high school with commitments of their own that kept them from dinner from time to time I had a really hard time letting go. The other thing we did was watch a movie on TV together every Saturday night and we’d talk about the commercials. THAT was interesting a time or two! LOL
Wonderful thoughts, Calen…keep that kitchen table…it has lots more good talks in it. 🙂
I love these wonderful photos of family life and you are so right — there is no better place than at the table — home or elsewhere!