You tried and it didn’t go well. Trying to get them to watch football. Seeing if they’d like sushi. Taking them to the movies or on a road trip. Teaching them how to ride a bike. Trusting them with taking the garbage and recycling out.

And how did it go?

Not well. They cried. They complained. They yelled. They half-assed it. They weren’t interested.

Maybe that hurt your feelings. Maybe you didn’t handle it well.

But maybe, since it was a while ago, maybe you should try again.

Because maybe they’re ready for it now.

As we’ve said before, timing is everything. You know this! You hated a certain subject in school…and now it’s your favorite part of your job. You were late learning to swim, but then took to it like a fish. You didn’t like sushi yourself the first time you tried it, and now what are you doing? You’re trying to introduce it to your kids!

Kids aren’t ready for something one day and then the next they are. They struggle with something and then suddenly it comes together. Their tastes change. Their aptitude changes. Their openness (or closed-offness) changes.

So wait and be ready. Be ready to try again.