How to Have a Happier Family

On yesterday’s program, the first in our two-part broadcast, “Game Plan for Having a Happier Family,” our guest, author Dr. Kevin Leman, challenged parents with something of a brainteaser:

Imagine your 14-year-old son announces he just gave the $200 he earned last summer to his buddy.

With a proud grin, he says he is now the co-owner of a used motorcycle.

The question is, how would you react in that moment?

Would it send your blood pressure through the roof and become a source of conflict between you and your child for days on end?

Or – even if you disagree with your child’s decision – would you lean into his or her life and use the situation as an opportunity to connect?

The reality is there will be countless times that parents will be confronted by that type of decision. In fact, Dr. Leman says, whether parents choose to connect or to have conflict with their kids “can change the very trajectory of that relationship.”

If you’re a parent and are wondering how to turn your child’s questionable choices into an opportunity to connect, I encourage you to tune in to the second part of our conversation with Dr. Leman today on your local radio station. And don’t forget, you can go back and hear the first part (or any of the broadcasts in our archive) online or via our free, downloadable mobile phone app.