I read two different articles online recently about creative ways to ask your child about his/her day at school and I love that these authors put their own "spin" on the age old question, "How was your day at school?" We started doing this at my house and guess what? It works-but not just with my children, it works with the adults too! The power of re-phrasing this question has really led to a more enjoyable and a more detailed conversation for our whole family during dinner time. I usually ask the same question to get started, "What was your favorite part of your day?" This gets the conversation going and from there, the questions are easier. Some are serious, some are silly, but most of them will get you a better response than, "Good." Here are some of my favorite questions from the articles I saw on Twitter from Huff Post Parents and PopSugar-Mom Section.
- Tell me something that made you laugh today
- How did someone help you today?/Did you help someone yesterday?
- Who/What made you smile today?
- What challenged you today? (there is that opportunity to promote a growth mindset!)
- What did you do at recess today? Who did you play with?
- If you were the teacher for the day, what would you do with the class?
- Tell me one new thing you learned today
You don't have to ask these questions, you can ask your own. And, YOU don't always have to ask the questions. Once you get this practice started, you can have a bowl or box full of questions so that your child can pick one and begin the conversation-giving them an even more important role in your family conversation. The possibilities are endless, but the most important thing is that you are spending time together and finding out more about your child's day at school. Have fun with your questions and enjoy the conversation!
