These days, I am involved in a Daily Duel!  I’ve taken it on:  It’s Me or My son’s Cell Phone! 

You see, this year I have 20-minute drive to school with him every day.  (Alas, no brother can take him anymore!)  So I have given myself quite a challenge:  Will we talk? Or will we sit silent while he texts?  It’s Me vs. his Cell phone!  I don’t want him to know about this duel, so secretly, I try to be one step ahead of him.  I have to use my best weapon:  Conversation

Really, we want our kids to learn to carry on face to face conversations and to be interesting and interested in others.  Another thing Mark and I discovered is that we want him to express himself to us.  This son, who often remains quiet during scriptures or meals, really does like to express his opinions!  He likes to be heard!  Were we neglecting that need?  Was he only heard by his friends via texts?

How in the world do we get our kids talking? We’ve got to be ready to carry on interesting conversations.  Here are ideas for weapons in this daily duel: 

1. Ask a Question

–What’s your earliest memory?

–If you had a free Saturday, how would you spend it?

–What’s the latest about ­­­­______(something in their lives that they care about)?

2. Store up Something Interesting. 

Purposely, I have to read to search for something interesting to talk about.  The newspaper, a novel, even a textbook.  I took out a book of essays from college days that had interesting perspectives and unusual anecdotes that were food for thought and conversation!  Once I earmarked an article about Iceland.  Another time we discussed an essay about the “art” of dumpster-diving.  Interesting!

3.  Tell a story from:

–childhood experiences

–a family story

–an enjoyable book

–the scriptures’ amazing stories

–a magazine article or a good story about someone

The other day, I asked my son about early morning seminary that day and we talked about the Prodigal Son for awhile.  Then, there was silence for a stretch.  His hand went to his pocket.  This was my cue!  Quick, what could I share?  I dug deep.  What about the book I was reading?  I picked out the stuff he might find interesting from it, such as life at sea and the absurdness of some characters. I like historical fiction, and this one included a proper romance.  Would it work?  It did!  I told him the dilemmas and left out the mushier stuff.  He actually got into it with me!

Then that night during dinner, at one point, I realized that we were all eating in silence, and my son started to turn away from the table and reach for his cell phone!  Oh no!  Another venue for a Duel!  Quick, what could I come up with?  Well Mark had just read the story of Esther, so he began sharing the details of her story.  Whew, I could ask Mark questions and keep the conversation going long enough to gather more ammo.  “How would you feel if you were Mordecai?”  My son commented that this king was easily swayed by others!  For the time being, the cell phone remained tucked away.  But I couldn’t rest!  It’s harder now that there are fewer of us around the table. But I’m now going to let the Cell Phone take the slack! I have to keep storing up ideas and have them ready! 

Wow!  What a daily challenge to take on a teenager’s cell phone and win!  I’m determined to use the power of Conversation to keep his phone aka my electronic dueling partner at bay!

I’d love your ideas and comments below!