Open Dialogue: Ask Thought-Provoking Questions to Check-in With Your Children
We’ve all been there. You’re sitting around the kitchen table, asking your kids about their day, and get a two-word response. It can be hard to engage with your children at certain ages, but you also want to keep checking in with them and make sure they are on track.
How to check in with your kids
The best way to promote open dialogue is to ask open-ended questions that are interesting to your children. Get them chatting about what’s important to them, and lead to other topics of discussion.
Questions to ask your kids
We’ve compiled 10 thought-provoking questions that will help you better connect during your next check-in. If your kids still aren’t engaging, try going around the table and having the parents answer, too. You may be surprised by the responses!
- If you were your teacher, what rules would you make? Why?
- What was the best part about today? Is there anything you would change?
- When was the last time you made someone laugh?
- What are you looking forward to in life?
- What’s something that you wish you were better at and why?
- What do you know that you can teach others?
- What’s the coolest thing that has ever happened to you?
- How would you change the world, if you could?
- What stresses you out the most?
- What made today good, or bad?
After a few nights of asking fun and interesting questions, you may notice that your children are ready to share more of their daily lives with you. Listen, and encourage them to express themselves in their own way.