Discussion Questions
Describe what the authors mean by “Insight + Empathy = Mindsight.”
In what context do you feel an especially strong sense of “we”?
Choose one quote from the chapter as a “take-away.”
“[Children] learn whether relationships will leave them feeling alone and unseen; anxious and confused; or felt, understood, and securely cared for” (emphasis mine). How has your understanding of this concept shaped the way you want to do relationships in the present and the future?
Think about the relationships a child you serve has had with authority figures past and present (including yourself). Write some adjectives to describe the way they may view authority figures based on those relationships.
Write some thoughts you had when you read the section, “Cultivating a ‘Yes’ State of Mind: Helping Kids Be Receptive to Relationships” from p. 129.
Write about an experience you’ve had of Connection through Conflict.
Respond to the following quote from p. 143: “While it’s not exactly a revelation that kids do better when they enjoy strong relationships with their parents, what may surprise you is what produces this kind of parent-child connection. It’s not how our parents raised us, or how many parenting books we’ve read. It’s actually how well we’ve made sense of our experiences with our own parents and how sensitive we are to our children that most powerfully influence our relationship with our kids, and therefore how well they thrive.”