If your child is anything like mine, talking is not a problem. My son talks non-stop. Don’t get me wrong, I’m so grateful! When he was about two, we were concerned that maybe he wasn’t talking enough, but man were we wrong.
Read more about Colton’s in my book, Conversations with Colton.
While talking is not the problem, I feel like we have struggled with talking about anything substantial. So Nascar, hockey, and Lightning McQueen are all important topics. I noticed that when I asked him questions about school, he would act like he didn’t want to discuss it. However, I wanted to know all the things and I found that confusing because I know the kid loves to talk but I struggled with getting him to tell me about his day.
Some kids like talking about their day and some just don’t and that’s ok! Don’t jump to conclusions, not wanting to talk about their day doesn’t necessarily mean there was a problem at school. I know that mama bear instinct wants to jump in and save the day, but the key is to learn how to ask your children about their day in a way that is appealing to them. For starters, always ask open-ended questions and don’t take it personal if they don’t open up right away, and most importantly don’t get mad when they are hesitant to answer your questions.
Here are a few conversation starters:
1. What was your favorite part about today? You are asking a happy, positive, specific, question and they will want to answer. Generally, my son says recess but every so often his answer is filled with a fun nugget into other aspects of his day.
2. If you could change one thing that happened today, what would you change and why? I love this question. Once he told me he would change the fact that he only got one recess but even that response allowed me to ask more questions that he happily answered.
3. Tell me about a time today when you were kind to a friend. This one makes my mama heart swell and I love hearing about acts of kindness.
4. What was the most interesting thing your teacher said today? It’s so fun to see what fun, interesting fact grabbed his attention in class.
5. What did you talk to your friends about at lunch? Generally, it’s sports or cartoons but this question also helps me know what the kiddos are up to these days!
Tell me in the DMs on IG how you get your kiddos to open up and tell you about their day?