Calgary (Rural Roots Canada) – For women in agriculture, balancing farm duties, business management, caregiving, and community leadership can leave little time to build strong bonds or rekindle family connections.

At the AWC West 2025 conference, Carlamay Sheremata, speaker and author of Youth Truth: Engaging in Conversations That Can Change Lives, says small, intentional moments, or what she calls “micro-minutes,” can have a significant impact.

“It’s just the little things each day,” Sheremata explains. “It could be a five-minute check-in, driving home from school, or a simple good morning hug. Those little things all of a sudden build that connection with the kids.”

Farm life goes hand-in-hand with unpredictability, from financial uncertainty to weather to labour shortages. Sheremata believes we should discuss difficult topics with children, whether it’s farm-related stress, mental health, or social issues. To do so requires openness and honesty.

“We need to sit down with our kids and have those honest conversations,” she says. “Even when talking about non-farm-related things like suicide, bullying, or self-harm, our kids need to know that when they sit down with us, they’re going to get a real answer.”

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An important element of these kinds of conversations is active listening. “As parents, we’re quick to judge or assume we know what our kids are going to say. But sometimes, they don’t want an answer, they just want to be heard.”

For parents struggling to connect with their kids, she recommends meeting them on their terms. Sheremata shares the story of a mother who had trouble connecting with her son because he spent all his time playing video games, something she wasn’t much of a fan of. “I told her, ‘Go ask him to teach you how to play.’ She played with him for ten minutes, and two weeks later, she called me in tears. Her son had finally opened up to her.”

Resilience is another crucial skill for farm kids, and parents can help build it by being open about their own struggles. “If you’re struggling, let your kids know. They can feel it anyway. When they see you working through challenges, they learn to do the same.”

Sheremata’s book is available on Amazon and IngramSpark. You can also purchase it via her website.