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1. Ask your child what his or her favorite song is, listen to it, go over the words, discuss what they mean, and ask what makes the song a favorite.
2. Break through superficial conversation by asking some probing questions: "What's going well in your life? What's not going well? What changes would you like to make? What is the biggest challenge you're currently facing?"
3. Ask your child to pick a new sport, hobby, art project, or interest for the two of you to develop together.
4. Take your child out to breakfast with no agenda-and just listen.
Visit a rest home together, and discuss feelings about death, dying, and aging.
5. Keep a journal of family highlights and special accomplishments throughout the year. Review it together on December 31.
6. Help your child develop a set of lifetime goals, such as acquiring specific skills, graduating from college, saving R10,000, or marrying a Christian.
7. Tell your child one of your fears, and do something together that challenges your fear. If you fear flying, fly. If you fear water, swim.
8. Share some of the struggles you had when you were your child's age (that may require some digging in your memory!). Then ask your child what his or her struggles are.
9. Ask your child to pick three places he or she wants to visit within driving distance, and make a plan to see them during the next year.
10. When your child returns home after a concert or other event, ask lots of questions (without coming across as nosy or invasive): "What is it that you particularly like about the musician? Is there a theme or message that comes through in the music? Did the musician have anything interesting to say between songs?"
11. Select a classic from literature, and have a family reading time at least once a week.
12. Take your child to work or the place you volunteer for a day.
13. Adopt a grandparent in a nursing home.
14. Ask your child about his or her heroes. Write a letter to the person, and see if you get a response.
15. Ask your child to join you in a study of a foreign country, the eventual goal being to visit that country within five years.
16. Tell your child your family history while you record it on cassette tape or videotape.
17. Celebrate days other than birthdays, such as 10,000 days on earth, 100th month, and so on.
18. Share New Year's resolutions and review them on June 30.
19. Research the meaning of your child's name, and point out the character traits that parallel the name.
20. Write your child a letter, saying what in your life you enjoy, what you don't, how you have succeeded, where you made mistakes, and what you hope he or she can learn from your life.
21. Sponsor a needy child who lives in a foreign country through Compassion International or World Vision.
22. Help your child develop a mission statement for life that reflects his or her values and what he or she hopes to accomplish.
23. Rent a video on human sexuality, and talk about it after you view it together.
24. Visit a jail with a Christian ministry group, and discuss how you could help meet the needs of some of those who are there.
25. Have your child count the number of commercials he or she sees in a week and put them in categories of what's being promoted, such as drinking, sexual permissiveness, or materialism.
26. Develop a relationship between your family and a missionary family your church supports. Pray for them and write to them together.
27. Serve at a soup kitchen together.
28. Record your family tree going back as far as possible. Try to list one or two prominent character traits associated with each family member. See if you can identify patterns that run through your family.
29. Play board games or cards with your child. Use this time to find out what's going on in his or her life.
30. Spent time talking and reading together, not only from books, but from the Bible and be open and honest about your relationship with God and become Jesus for your children (like Him)
(686 Words)
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