One of the biggest challenges busy families face is finding quality time to bond with each other. The stress of school, different classes, doing homework, parents’ jobs, and hundreds of other concerns have made many families unable to communicate well with their children. Don’t look for a specific activity to share with your child; Sometimes, you can easily communicate with a few questions and intimate conversations. This article introduces some questions you can ask your child to get to know him better.
The importance of talking to the child and getting to know him
Most likely, parents of young children are used to their child asking hundreds of questions every day. “While you might get tired of the constant barrage of questions that start with why, answering kids’ questions keeps their minds open,” says author and consultant Michelle Burba.
Dr. Fran Wallfisch, a family and relationship psychotherapist, emphasizes talking to children. In the early years of childhood, children talk about everything as it happened, including who played with them and who didn’t, what they thought, and how they felt about their friends and playmates.
“Between the ages of 7 and 12, don’t ask your child yes, no, or one-word questions,” says Dr. Fran. “Encourage her to talk about her day by asking questions with more than one word to answer.”
Whether on the way to after-school activities, at the dinner table, or anywhere else, you can easily fit daily conversations into your schedule. Talking to your child is a great way to have quality and meaningful interaction with him.
Asking the child allows him to think and be creative. However, it is important not to bore him with repeated questions. What we mean by helpful conversation is communication. Overdoing it may tire the child and make him reluctant to talk the next time you want to talk to him. So keep the balance and ask the right questions.
Questions you can ask toddlers and preschoolers
Questions about favorite things
- What is your favorite book?
- what is your favorite song
- What is your favorite color?
If you could…?
- If you could be an animal, what would you be?
- If you could have a store, what would you have and what would you sell?
- If you could plant anything in your garden, what would you choose?
- What power would you like to have if you could be a superhero?
- Who would you deal with if you could trade places with someone for a day?
- If you could be any age, how old would you be?
- If you could be a book character, what would you be?
- What would it be if you could eliminate one thing in the world?
Fun questions
- What is the best smell?
- What makes you happy?
- What would you choose if you wanted to put a law in the house?
- If you were to choose dinner tonight, what would you choose?
- How do you feel when I hug you?
- What do you think you are good at?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- What things make you angry?
- What is the hardest part of going to school?
- What is the most annoying sound?
- What is the funniest thing that has happened to you?
- What would you like to learn and do?
- What was the best part of your day?
Questions to stimulate the imagination
- If your favorite toy could talk, what would it say?
- Would you rather be the size of a tiny mouse or a giant elephant?
- What is the first thing you want to do when you grow up?
- What sounds do you like the most and why?
- What activities would you do if you spent the whole day outside?
- How is a great day? please describe it
Questions you can ask elementary-age children
Questions about favorite things
- What is your favorite joke?
- What day of the week is your favorite?
- What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
- What flavor of ice cream do you like?
If you could…?
- What would it be if you could only eat one thing daily for the rest of your life?
- If you could have any power, what would you choose?
- If you could be one of your favorite cartoon or book characters, which character would you be?
- What would you invent if you could invent something to make life easier?
Fun questions
- What is the worst smell in the world?
- What are those if the house catches fire and you can only save three things?
- What job are you most interested in?
- What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever eaten?
Questions to stimulate the imagination
- Why do we wear shoes?
- What are the characteristics of a close friend?
- If you could ask a wild animal any question, what would you ask?
Personal questions
- What does it mean to be a good friend?
- What motivates you?
- What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Questions you can ask teenagers
Questions about favorite things
- What is your favorite season?
- Where is your favorite place to go on vacation?
- What is your favorite family tradition?
If you could…?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
- What would you do if you could go back and do something different?
- If you could be a famous person for a week, who would you be?
Fun questions
- Do you think it is more important to be rich or to be kind?
- What rules would you set for your class if you were a teacher?
- What was the best gift you ever received?
- If you had 1 billion money, what would you spend it on?
Questions to stimulate the imagination
- What do you like to dream about?
- If you want to write a book, what will you write about?
- If you could design a house, what would it look like?
- What do you like to fantasize about the most?
Personal questions
- What do you love most about yourself?
- What made you laugh today?
- What are you most worried about?
- What makes you feel brave?
- What are you waiting for when you wake up?
- What do you do if your friend asks you to keep a secret that makes you uncomfortable?
The key to knowing more about children
When starting a conversation with your child, don’t get too caught up in whether the questions are right or wrong because there are no right or false questions. Your intention should be to communicate with your child in the best way possible.
Ask him more about his favorite topics. Children love to talk about their favorite things. These intimate conversations may quickly become a favorite part of your day and help you bond more closely with your child.
Asking children questions that require more than “yes” or “no” answers has tremendous benefits. Doing so helps develop their language, communication, critical thinking, and social skills. Also, quality and valuable conversations will boost their creativity, self-esteem, and confidence, and perhaps most importantly, listening to your kids’ answers will help you get to know them and deepen your bond. The best part about these conversations is that they’re unstructured and can be done anywhere, like driving, waiting at the doctor’s office, or the dinner table.
This approach creates a safe space for children to express their ideas and feelings. Also, according to research, healthy communication between parents and children prevents future mental health disorders and behavioral problems.
you say
How do you communicate with your child? How effective are healthy conversations in your child’s development and creativity? Please share your valuable comments and experiences with us and our dear users.
Warning! This article is only for educational purposes; to use it, it is necessary to consult a doctor or specialist.
