- January 5, 2021
- • Laurie Wright
Connect With Kids After School
Ask better questions to get better answers!
Want to connect with your kids after school, but you usually get an answer of “I don’t know”, “I don’t remember” or “Nothing” when you ask your child about their day at school?
— insert classic shoulder shrug here —
All you want is to connect after being apart for the day, but it seems like everything you do pushes your child away.
🔥HOT TIP🔥
Pick one question, and then stop talking.
Nothing will induce a shut down faster than question after rapid-fire question.
Choose from these 30 kids-tested and approved after-school questions
1. Who made you smile today?
2. What new fact did you learn today?
3. What challenged you today?
4. What games did you play at recess?
5. What was the funniest thing that happened today?
6. Did anyone do anything super nice for you?
7. What was the nicest thing you did for someone else?
8. If school were a ride at the fair, which ride would it be? Why?
9. What would you rate your day on a scale of 1 to 10? Why?
10. If one of your classmates could be the teacher for the day who would you want it to be? Why?
It might be the time that you are asking isn’t best for your child. Some kids need to unwind, or eat, or just be ALONE for a while.
11. If you had the chance to be the teacher tomorrow, what would you teach the class?
12. Did anyone push your buttons today? How did that make you feel?
13. Who do you want to make friends with but haven’t yet? Why not?
14. What is your teacher’s most important rule?
15. What is the most popular thing to do at recess?
16. Does your teacher remind you of anyone else you know? How?
17. Tell me something you learned about a friend today.
18. What is one thing you did today that was helpful?
19. When did you feel most proud of yourself today?
A powerful question, asked at the right time, will make all the difference when talking about their days when they’re away from you.
20. What rule was the hardest to follow today?
21. What is one thing you hope to learn before the school year is over?
22. Which person in your class is your exact opposite?
23. Which area of your school is the most fun?
24. Which playground skill do you plan to master this year?
25. Does anyone in your class have a hard time following the rules?
26. What is your favourite thing about your teacher? What about your class or your school?
Ditch the “What did you do/learn today at school?” and try questions like these in order to get more meaningful and descriptive answers from your child!
27. What was the favourite part of your day? What made this event so special?
28. If you got to be teacher for today, what would be one thing that you would have done?
29. Did you help anyone today?
30. Who did you play with at recess? What did you do?
Enjoy better conversation – and connection – with your kids.
Need more ideas? This card set will give your family loads of interesting things to talk about!
~Laurie
👇Want a way to help reduce anxiety, without saying a word?👇
Laurie Wright
Teacher turned author, turned children's mental health advocate. Laurie has given a TEDx talk, gives workshops for parents, teachers, and children, and has published five books in the Mindful Mantras series, all to help combat the crisis kids are currently facing.
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