A light-hearted parenting tool with seriously good outcomes.
Add this to your parenting toolbox for better relationships, happier kids and a more relaxed family-life.
Banter is light-hearted conversation and chat between parents and kids.
It’s a keystone tool that builds relationships, creates a great family atmosphere and is a necessary entry point for deeper communication with teenagers.
It’s fun, carefree and playful. It’s not teasing, taunting or hurtful.
At times, light-hearted banter between kids can cross a line and can be offensive. So banter needs boundaries and limits. It should never offend. If it does, then it’s teasing or even bullying, not banter.
Relationship-builder
Traditionally, fathers have a lock on banter. They tend to see the lighter side of situations more easily than mothers. I suspect this is becauset dads don’t carry the same parenting load as mothers. I could be wrong!!!
But regardless of gender the ability to have some light-hearted fun with kids is essential for building solid bonds with children and teens
Atmosphere-changer
Sometimes family-life can be tense, even stressful. Light-hearted banter lightens the mood putting a smile on the dial of everyone.
Pro tip: Be the mood you want in your family. If you want the family mood to be pleasant then lighten up with some well-placed banter.
Conversation-starter
Families that engage in banter talk with each other on a deep level, when needed. Banter gives parents permission to have difficult conversations with teenagers about tricky issues such as sexuality, risk-taking and alcohol usage.
If you don’t have some fun with your child or teen then it’s almost impossible to talk on a deeper level, when required. Banter breaks down barriers, revealing vulnerabilities. It gives parents permission to talk about serious subjects with kids.
It also helps drop the mask that parents and kids wear.
How to use
There are only 3 rules for successful banter:
Ensure that you pick the right time and place. Banter falls flat when it’s given out of context or runs across an agenda that another parent has.
Be in a playful mood when you engage in banter, otherwise it can be seen as sarcasm or manipulation.
Know how to stop. You need to be able to dial down the fun as well as dial it up.
Who would have thought?
Who would think something as light-hearted as banter could have such a significant impact on family-life?
Without banter life is drab, boring and serious.
Introduce some banter and the atmosphere lightens, moods change and life becomes more fun.
And adulthood suddenly becomes a more attractive to kids.
And one of the jobs of a parent is teach kids to live life well.
Banter helps us all live a good life.