You feel like you’re running around with your head cut off, right? As if you can’t squeeze one more thing into your day or you’ll explode? But then, once your kids are asleep in bed … oh, the guilt! You stand in the bedroom doorway, promising to be better, do better for your kids. First, ditch the guilt. You are far too hard on yourself and you’re a good parent for even standing there in the doorway self reflecting!
But also, it’s hard.
It’s hard day in and day out with everything your kids have to do on top of everything YOU have to do. But time is whisking by and truly, one of the most important parts of being a parent is really knowing your kids. That said, you can get past the non-answers your kids provide with a little effort during meals or in the car. We’ve got terrific questions that will stimulate your kids to talk.

Get those conversations started — and get into it! Let conversation flow around what you ask. There are no rules here besides no teasing!

PRESCHOOLERS

• What makes you happy?

• What makes your laugh?

• What is your favorite food?

• What is the funniest face you make?

• If you could be an animal for one day, what would you be?

• What is your favorite thing to do?

• Who is your best friend?

• What are you really good at?

• What do you want to be when you grow up?

• What is your favorite story book?

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS

• If you had one superpower, what would it be?

• What is the earliest memory that you can recall?

• If your pet (or stuffed animal) could talk, what would they say?

• If you could design a T-shirt, what would it look like?

• If you had a genie and you could have three wishes, what would they be?

• What would you do if you swapped roles with Mom or Dad?

• What is a perfect day like for you?

• Who is your best friend?

• If you could change one thing about school, what would it be?

• What is your biggest worry?

• Who is your favorite teacher?

• If you won a million dollars,

what would you buy first?

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS

• If you could meet anyone from history, who would it be?

• If you could invent something, what would it be?

• What is your favorite movie and why?

• What is something you feel you’re good at?

• What is your favorite place to be?

• What is your biggest dream?

• What are you really good at?

• If you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?

• If you could change the lunch menu at school what would you do?

• If you had a time machine, where would you go?

• What do you think is the most difficult job in the world and why?

 

HIGH SCHOOL KIDS

• What’s the weirdest dream you ever had?

• What is your dream vacation?

• If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

• If you were president, what would you do first?

• What do you think college will be like?

• What are you really good at?

• If you had the power to change anything about the world what would it be?

• If you could change anything about our family what would it be?

• If you could change anything about your life, what would it be?

• What do you value most in friendship?

• What concert are you hoping you can go to?

 

 

MORE GREAT STORIES!

You Can Get Your Kids to Talk to You Through Your Divorce

Help Your Kids to Learn From Their Mistakes

Should You Hire a Homework Therapist or a Tutor?