When the kids get home from school, parents want to know about their day, but getting them to talk about it can be a challenge. Moms and dads want to connect with their little ones, but we tend to lean on boring questions like “How was your day?” and those don’t entice kiddos to open up. But these suggestions from parents might do the trick.
- Start with the fun stuff - Kids don’t care about what they’re studying or how their day was, they care about what they had for lunch, what they played at recess and the silly song they learned in music class. So if you ask about the fun stuff first, they’re more likely to open up about the less exciting parts of their day as well.
- “So, who got in trouble today?” - No matter how old your child is, they’re probably willing to share a little gossip. This conversation starter will probably surprise your kid and giving them lots of “oohs” and “aahs” as they tell the story will encourage them to spill the beans. And once you learn the names of the troublemakers, you can start with, “So, what did Joe do today?”
- Don’t blab about anything your kids tell you - Trust is important in every relationship, including that of a parent and child. So if you’re lucky enough to have your child open up and trust you with something personal, don’t reveal that to the kids in the carpool or their friends over for a playdate or you can bet they’ll never tell you anything ever again.
- Ask about one good thing and one not-so-good thing - It might not be easy for your child to recap their day, but asking them about one good thing, one thing that could be better, someone they talked with or something they did for someone else can give them specific ideas of what to share.
- Go for open-ended questions - If you ask your kid a “yes” or “no” question, you’re probably only going to get a “yes” or “no” answer. Want them to elaborate? Then go for something that requires more detail, like “What was the best thing about your day?”
- Don’t bombard them - Parents can forget that school can be stressful, so kids may need time to decompress before talking about their day. Instead of pressing them in the car on the way home, let them relax, then catch up later and the conversation will most likely flow.
Source: Lifehacker
Photo: Getty Images