#187: Walk and Talk

Here’s a parenting strategy to try with your son…try the “walk and talk.”

When you need to address a behavior or share some difficult news, it can be tempting to lecture your son. But if you sit him down, look him in the eye, and start talking, your boy will probably avert his eyes and lose focus.

Try this instead. Lace up your walking shoes, put the dog on its lead, and take your son for a long walk around your neighborhood. As you walk, calmly talk, with short and to-the-point sentences.

Psychologists have found that while women prefer face-to-face interaction, men actually listen much more effectively when they are doing a shoulder-to-shoulder activity.

So skip the lecture, and head outside. Your son will thank you.

For more ideas for raising boys to be godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.