A dad came to one of our first workshops in Hoi An.
On the survey after, he wrote that he came because he wanted "an opportunity to connect with my son who has a tendency to be quite introverted and is in the stereotypical moody pre-teen phase."
His biggest challenge as a parent right now: getting his son to open up and talk about what he's actually feeling.
At a session in Da Nang, another dad wrote that his biggest challenge was finding "productive emotional outlets" for his child.
Same problem. Different words.
Both said they would come back. Both already knew exactly who they would bring.
Something shifted in those rooms. And I think I know what it was.
When we ask kids to open up, we are asking them to go first. To say something real before we have shown them it is safe to do that. Before we have done it ourselves.
And most kids, especially the quiet ones, the guarded ones, the ones in that particular flavor of 10-year-old moody, will not go first. Not because they don't want to connect. But because no one has shown them how.
So I want to ask you something before I tell you what I built.
Would you rather know exactly what your child is feeling at any given moment, or have them always know exactly what you are feeling?
Sit with that for a second. I am willing to bet you have a strong answer. I am also willing to bet you have never told your child what it is.
That is the gap. And that is what I built Hero to Hero to close.
Hero to Hero is a 14-page printable game for one parent and one kid ages 7-11. Five Would You Rather questions, each one built around one of CreatableMe's 5 C's — Consciousness, Creativity, Connection, Communication, and Character. Before every round, both of you write down your guess about what the other person will choose. Then you write your own answer. Then you count down from 3 and reveal at the same time.
The grown-up goes first. Every single time.
That one rule changes everything. When your child sees you be honest first, even about something small, the door opens. You will be surprised what walks through it.
Print it this week and play it together.
If you are in Da Nang this July, we are running our Hero Training for Real Life workshop series starting July 9. Three sessions for kids 7-11 and one parent. Details at creatableme.com/kids-workshops-da-nang.
Warm regards,
Brian Castleforte
Founder, CreatableMe