It’s absolutely true what they all say:
You cannot force your children to have meaningful conversations with you. But when they want to talk, you must drop everything and listen right then. Not later. Not when it’s more convenient for you. Then.
I arrive home to meet one daughter who also happens to arrive home. She looks at me and then asks: Do you want to go get some frozen yogurt? We can talk.
Half my brain thinks this: Who in the world has time for frozen yogurt and talking right now? Besides, I’m not eating sugar, right? And I just arrived home! I want to kick off my shoes, change into comfy clothes, start laundry, gather ingredients for dinner, do all the million things on my to-do list. . .
The other half of the brain joyfully shouts this: Yes! Nothing else matters but you right now! Nothing else in the world! I’ll take it! I’ll take it!
So I get back in the car. I drive back into the very world I wanted to hide from a minute ago. And I eat the cappuccino frozen yogurt with the white chocolate chips and marshmallows and the chocolate covered almonds. And I talk and talk with my daughter. Everything else can wait.