Aftercommutingcookingdinneranddoinghouseholdchorestheaverageparenthasjust30minutestodevotetotheirchildrenintheeveningsaccordingtoanewstudy.Oneinfourworkingparentsworrythathalfanhoursimplyisn’tenoughwhilealmosthalffretthattheyaren’tagoodenoughparentduringtheweek.
Howeverparentingexpertsbelievejust12minutesadaymaybeenoughformothersandfatherstofullyreconnectwiththeirchild—aslongastheyasktherightquestions.ChildpsychologistDrClaireHalseysaidaskingaseriesofopen-endedquestionscanhelpimproveparents’relationshipwiththeirchildren.
Amongthequestionsrecommendedintheresearchare:“Howmanytimeshaveyousmiledtoday—whatmadeyoulaugh?”;“Canyouactoutwhatyoudidatbreaktime?”;“Whoistaller—mummyoryourteacher?”and“Whatarethenamesofthetoysyouplayedwithtoday?”Parentsofolderchildrenareadvisedtostartupaconversationwith:“I’vegotagreatstoryforyoubutIwantoneinreturn…youfirst!”or“Tellmesomeschoolgossip…I’mallears!”
DrHalseyworkingwiththemakersofRibenaPluswhocommissionedtheresearchsaid:“Thereisnooneastoughontheirownparentingskillsasaparent—butthisstudyshowsthereisnoneedforparentstobesoharsh.It’shardforworkingparentstojugglealltheirresponsibilitiesanditcanfeellikeguiltissimplyaparent’slot—butit’sabsolutelynot.Byusingclevertacticssuchasalittlepreparationalongsideuseofopen-endedquestions—suchas‘Tellmewhatthebestbitaboutyourdaywas?’—parentscanreducethetimeworryingaboutchoresandworkandspendmoretimelearningabouttheirchildren’sday.”
小题1:TheunderlinedwordreconnectinParagraph2isclosestinmeaningto________.