Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Questions for kids that spark conversation


Are you tired of receiving those infamous one word answers: "yes", "no", or "nothing" when you ask your child about his or her day? To often children do not want to engage in conversation about their school activities. So, as parents we have to find creative ways of learning about their day.

You don't want to ask them 21 questions, but just enough to understand how they are doing both emotionally and academically. Try to avoid closed end questions that have one word answers. The key is to ask questions that will spark their interest to expand on their answer. Or their answer may prompt you to have a follow-up question. Who knows...you may even get more than you ask for once your child sees you are expressing genuine interest in his or her well being.

Alway praise your child and let them know how proud you are of them and that you support them unconditonally. I would even recommend that you share your day with them, so that they understand parents can have good and bad days, too. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Tell me about or show me something you learned today? Follow-up: Did you like learning about that?


  2. What did you have for lunch? Follow-up: Why did you like or not like it? Who did you eat lunch with today or who did you sit beside during lunch?


  3. What was the most fun thing you did today? Follow-up: Why was is so fun?


  4. What did you not enjoy doing today? Follow-up: Why did you not enjoy it?


  5. What did you do today in Math (or use another subject)?


  6. Who did you play with today? What did you play?


  7. What question did you answer today in class? Follow-up: Did you know the answer or did you just take a guess at it?


  8. What did you like (or not like) about your bus drive today? Follow-up: If it was something they didn't like. How did you handle that problem?


  9. What was the funniest thing that made you laugh today? Follow-up: What did the teacher do?


  10. What do you like about being in your current grade compared to your previous grade? Follow-up: What do you think will happen next year?

Please share questions that you ask to initiate conversation. Happy talking!

No comments: