Communication – Can You Read My Mind?

 

How many times has your child come to you complaining that a friend or sibling was not doing what he or she expected them to do?

Last night, we were at a our son’s indoor soccer game.  If you haven’t been to an indoor soccer game and you love hockey, go, I promise you will not be disappointed.  The players check each other into the walls and throw elbows while speeding down a turf field surrounded by plexiglass on every side. It’s fast and it’s awesome!

Josh had just finished his first game and was completely red as he headed back to the stands.  I knew something was wrong when I looked into his eyes (don’t you love how we just know when there’s a problem).

Josh said, “I don’t feel like they are passing to me.”  (Josh was playing the middle position which in indoor is actually an offensive and defensive position)

I asked him if he had communicated this to his teammates. He said, “No!”

I went on to tell him that his lack of communication would not fix the problem because his teammates could not read his mind.  It was his turn to initiate a game changer by communicating to his team that he was often open in the middle if they would just look up, he was there.

He could have simply said:  Hey guys, I am open in the center a lot of the time, so I will be sure to yell your name when I am open for a pass, ok!

Making his team aware that he was there waiting to assist them was important.  It not only communicated his point but it unified them as a team to know that “Josh had their back”.

God has given us the ability to communicate with each other.  It’s our job to take the time to do it.  Let’s not expect today that our children can read our minds.  As we know, we probably have to say, “Brush your teeth once again today!”