How to Take Advantage of Teachable Moments

 

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Begin with the end in mind”? 

 

This phrase has become one that I think about daily, and something that guides how I approach most situations in life. 

 

The idea is that in everything you do you should have a goal or a trajectory in mind.  As human beings if we don’t set goals before trying to achieve something it is very easy to drift.  It’s very easy to get further away from our goals than to reach them. 

So what would it look like if you asked this question about the conversations that you have with your children?  What would it look like if you took advantage of every teachable moment – knowing that you had an end in mind? 

 

Have you ever thought about your strategy for passing along your values to your child and for influencing your child to make good decisions? One effective strategy for parents is to take advantage of “teachable moments.”  

A “teachable moment” is any opportunity that presents itself, where you see values being presented or decisions being made.  

The possibility for creating teachable moments is virtually unlimited. These can appear from a television program, a news report, a movie, conversation at the dinner table, the pastor’s last sermon, a book, situations happening at home, work, school, and so on.

Here are four steps to help you begin with the end in mind and make the most of your teachable moments:

 

1.    Identify your goal.

Meaningful teachable moments rarely just happen. You can’t ask your child: “What did you think of that movie?” and expect the question to blossom into a wonderful learning experience.

You need to identify your goal. For example, what issue(s), value(s), or decision(s) do you want to discuss with your child that you noticed from the movie? Once you’ve identified the goal, then you can better facilitate a conversation that focuses on that issue, value, or decision.

2.    Think ahead.

When you identify a potential teachable moment, you’ll need to think ahead for the types of questions you can ask that will help your child process the topic of the discussion, trying to move them toward some kind of personal application.

 

3.    Be patient.

If you aren’t currently having regular meaningful conversations with your child, be ready to face some resistance when you begin using a “teachable moments” strategy. Be patient. Your openness, vulnerability, and perseverance will likely begin to pay off in the long run.

 

4.    Don’t go overboard.

Maintain a balance between taking advantage of teachable moments and simply living life together with your child.

Not every conversation has to be targeted as a teachable moment. Class doesn’t need to be in session 24/7. Your kids will grow weary and might even withdraw from conversations with you if they sense every moment spent together comes attached with a life lesson.

 

I hope that beginning “with the end in mind” will help you be more proactive with the teaching moments that God gives you with your child.

 

Jesus once told his friends, to be “Shrewd like snakes, but innocent like doves”.  It’s my hope that you will find using teachable moments with your child will help you live out this tricky balance.   How amazing will the moments be when you are helping your child shape their values and beliefs and they just think they are hanging out with mom and dad!