| Communication Central - Knowing Your Child's Currency |
 During this summer you might find yourself in the position of administering consequences to redirect an undesired behavior or facilitating privileges to give attention to your child's good decisions and positive actions. In applying either of these strategies, it is important to know, to really know, what motivates your son or daughter.
You will want to acutely listen to what your child talks about the most, and it is within these conversations that you will pick up key information about what best motivates your child. If you notice that your child is constantly talking about how desirable it would be to live in an apartment next year at school, then the potential to have a serious conversation with you about this will likely be valued by your student as a privilege. On the flip-side, if this same child is demonstrating irresponsible behaviors then you might design a consequence that postpones this conversation or questions whether or not he or she is ready for this next step in independence. While access to a car and connecting with friends always remain central to your student's life, you should look ahead to the next big steps that your student seeks to take. Maybe your son or daughter wants to:
- have a car on campus next semester;
- gain your permission to travel or study abroad;
- have a summer job or internship next year in a location far from home;
- purchase something for which he or she only has part of the funds.
Don't get caught parenting the son or daughter you had a year ago. Keep your parenting current with your student's development. |
| Did you know... |
The Millennial generation is the only generation that "doesn't cite 'work ethic' as one of their principal claims to distinctiveness."
Millennials are born after 1980 -- coming of age in the new millennium.
(Source: Pew Research Center survey taken in 2009)) |
