If you’re like me then trying to get your kids to tell you about their school day is like pulling teeth. As the wife of a dentist I don’t use the phrase lightly. Homeschooling for years meant that I didn’t need to inquire about their school days–after all, I was there with them all day, I basically knew how their days was. Since they’ve been attending on-site Charter Schools I like to make sure I know what’s going on in their days. I’ve quickly learned that questions like “How was your day?” result in one word answers–“good”, “okay”. Today I’m sharing some questions to ask your kids after school that will actually prompt them to talk to you!
5 questions to ask your kids
1. What was your favorite thing about your day?
Rather than asking your child–“how was your day?” ask them a question that makes them focus on the highlight of their day. It also lets you know what fills your child’s bucket. Are they excited about friends they played with? Acing a test? The chocolate muffin that came with lunch. By the way, that last one is often my Kindergartner’s favorite thing.
2. What was your least favorite thing about today?
It’s good to teach your children that just because something negative happens during the day doesn’t mean that the whole day was bad. Talking about the low points gives you an opportunity to talk through the day and help them appreciate the good parts!
| How to Find Joy Daily and Change Your Attitude |
3. What did you do at lunch?
Asking your child about their lunch prompts answers about what they ate, who they talked with and played with, and how active they were. I actually love hearing about what my kids ate because then I can gauge how hungry them might be for snacks. I can also hear about what new friends they made or what their new favorite activity is.
4. What’s the silliest thing that happened in class?
I especially love asking my Kindergartner about the silliest thing that happened at school because this will typically get her to ramble the longest. My kids love to talk about ridiculous things so this question usually elicits a long response. Plus, it fills our car ride home with lots of giggles!
5. What’s something new you learned today?
This question is good because it give your child a quick review of what they learned that day. It also lets you know what’s going on in the classroom. In today’s current climate I think it’s especially important to know what’s going with your child’s education.
What questions do you like to ask your children after school or at the end of the day?
