Do you remember when your young adult was a child and had a school assignment to interview you about your interests or your past? Well, turnabout is fair play. The interview process is something that I use in my Parents Letting Go workshops. It enables parents, open to nonjudgmental listening, an opportunity to learn more about their young adult and build a closer relationship.
One participant said: ‘The interview questions and process were worth the price and time of the entire workshop.” This parent found that the structured interview opened the door to a closer and more meaningful relationship with her son. It can do the same for you.
The interview questions will help you use the six practices that parents need to employ to facilitate the launch process. The first set of interview questions associated with the book “Can You Speak Millennial”ese?” is more general and can lead to a better understanding of your young adult. Understanding is the first practice parents need to strengthen. Use a structured interview process to do the following:
- Build and deepen the relationship with your young adult
- Increase an understanding of your young adult
- Practice engaging your young adult through nonjudgmental listening
- Model and begin a process of sharing that can carry over to other subjects and occasions