When my kids get home from school, it's as if they haven't eaten in five days. They are starving. I've learned one little secret - if I have a snack ready and waiting, and I just linger around the table, most days they will chat away about their day.
It is this incredible little treasure of five to ten minutes where I get to see a peak into their day. Most days, I want to drop my purse on the ground and start dinner. There are ten million things I could or should be doing. I could move the laundry to the dryer. I could pay a few bills. I could check the mailbox. But, when I invest that time into just sitting still and listening, I get, in those ten minutes, what it would take me hours to compile later.
After their snack, they jump into homework, activities, and their own downtime. I won't get that time back no matter how much I want it. I can ask all the wrong questions and interrupt their homework, but if I take advantage of those precious seconds, I have a front row seat into what they are excited about and what they are worried about. I hear about the too hard homework and the silly games at recess. I hear about how my oldest son needs more food in his lunch and how my oldest daughter is a little tired of turkey. I find out about the play that they are hoping to be a part of and which roles they are hoping to get. I hear a mention of socks that are too tight.
All of these little hints add up to things I can add to my to do list to make their life a little happier and a little brighter.
Do you have any great debrief tips for us?
The post The Debrief – Using The Precious Moments When They’re Home From School appeared first on Mom it Forward.