Introduction
As parents, one of the simplest questions we ask our kids after they come home from school is How was your day? However, simply asking this can become mundane if you always say the same thing every time, which can make it difficult to learn about what’s going on in your child’s life at school. Luckily, there are many ways to ask your kids how their day was and the answers will give you insight into what they may be struggling with or having issues with at school and help you address any problems early on.
What was your favorite part of today?
This is an open-ended question that helps build a positive dialogue between you and your child. It’s also helpful in getting an idea of what they’re interested in at any given time. What are you learning about right now? Might be another good question. It prompts them to talk more about their current project or lesson.
To gauge how difficult or easy their day was: By asking how their day was, we can tell if something happened on school grounds (like someone made fun of them) that would otherwise go unreported. We should not do anything with that information; it simply gives us insight into our child’s experience at school so we can help them cope if necessary by having a frank conversation.
Who did you meet today?
Kids love to tell stories about what happened at school. One way parents can encourage them is by asking for a specific account of their day; instead of asking just How was your day?, ask more specifics like, Who did you meet today? Or What kind of things did you do in math class today? Parents can also ask more questions about subjects that interest them—this will help their children remember those subjects better and ultimately boost grades. Finally, parents might want to keep track of trends with certain students; if they notice a trend where students are getting into fights every week on Mondays, it’s time to get to work identifying and resolving whatever issues may be leading to these conflicts.
What did you learn today?
People forget that kids spend a lot of time learning new things every day. Whether it’s at school or while they’re playing outside, they’re constantly soaking up facts and figures that affect their lives and those around them. A great way to ask them about their day is by asking What did you learn today? This question not only reminds your child how important it is to learn every day, but also makes them reflect on what they learned—and can prompt some useful discussions.
How might you rate your day on a scale from 1 to 10?
If you want an honest answer, it’s best not to overthink things. Asking your child how he or she would rate their day on a scale of 1-10 is a great way to get him or her talking about what happened at school that day. Perhaps they had a hard time in math class and they weren’t pleased with their score on their English homework either. Maybe they struggled in gym and have an injured finger from playing football that day too.
Which is more fun – school or sports/hobbies/etc..?
Kids love to talk about their friends and teammates. So ask them what they like most about playing team sports or going to school – and then ask why that is. This is a great way for you to get to know your kids better and for them to open up topics that might be on their minds. Plus, it’s fun! Who doesn’t like talking about themselves? You also can follow up with questions about teachers, activities they took part in, or other parts of their day. You can even work some interview-type questions into How was your day today? and have fun asking what happened when in school today (e.g., What was Ms.
What was the funniest thing that happened today?
Spend time with your kids and ask them what was so funny that they can’t stop laughing. Get them to tell you their favorite joke and ask them if they would like to teach it to you. Laughing is a great way of bonding with your children. Use humor in conversations when possible, or relate funny stories that happened in your today! Children who are comfortable making fun of themselves can also be more confident overall.
Were there any surprises today at school/work/home/hobby/etc.?
If they had a great day and everything went according to plan, try asking them how it was by saying, Great! I’m really glad you had a great day. Were there any surprises today at school/work/home/hobby/etc.? You can tell them about anything you missed in their life recently. If something didn’t go as planned, what happened?: Basically just repeat number two above, but instead of asking if they were surprised by anything that happened, ask if there were any unexpected events. What did you learn?: This is a good question if your child is young enough that s/he can still enjoy learning new things.
What was your favorite lesson (from school) Why?
The best way to find out how your child is feeling about school is simply asking him or her directly. Answering a question like what was your favorite lesson today? Will tell you about his or her social interactions, their confidence level, and even what kinds of things they have been learning. Whether he or she says math class, recess time, or a teacher’s lecture on ancient Egypt – if it’s something that makes them smile, you know everything is alright.
Describe what your day is like right now.
Are you looking forward to dinner with your family or dreading it because you didn’t get as much done at work as you would have liked. Share a snapshot of what your day is like with your kids and then ask them how their day was. It doesn’t matter if your day had everything from dying coworkers to wishing for the time in bed all day long. What matters most is that we open up and let our families see our lives through their eyes so they can be there for us when we need them most. After all, isn’t that one of the reasons why we love our children so much?
What can I do better tomorrow, so you have an even better day than you had today?
You want to make your child feel like you are paying attention and care about them. So before you ask anything else, tell them something that was cool about their day and end it with an open-ended question such as: What can I do better tomorrow so you have an even better day than you had today? This will let your kids know that everything they say is important. The next time you ask a question just listen!
Conclusion
The key is to tailor your questions to fit your child’s unique personality and interests. Maybe you can ask how something went during their day or what a teacher or classmate said. The point is to keep the conversation going so that you can remain connected to what’s going on in your child’s life and help them figure out any issues before they become major problems.
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