Are you tired of the one-word answers and grunts you receive from your school-going kids? These days, it’s challenging for parents to stay connected with their kids—especially when they are engrossed with their digital devices. A lack of communication leads to a lack of visibility of what’s happening in your children’s lives. Maybe it’s time to ask different, exciting questions! Here are a few tips and eight creative questions you could ask your kid after school.

Tips to build an interesting conversation 

• Lose the superlatives such as “best” or “worst” – it forces your kid to re-evaluate everything and provide the exact, correct answer.
• Be more specific in your questions (e.g., “Tell me one fun thing that happened today”) instead of being vague (e.g., “What happened today?”).
• Use more “W” (who, where, what, when) and “H” (how) type of follow-up questions to keep the conversation engaging.
• Recall and ask questions from your previous conversation – it shows that you pay attention and listen to your kid. 

8 creative questions to ask your children after school

1.Who is your favorite character from your books?

This question lets you know the types of books and characters your child is interested in. Build up the conversation about why they chose a specific character and ask how relatable it is to your child’s life. 

2.Did you do something today that you’re proud of?

Such questions help your kid analyze if they did any good deeds, and it will motivate them to do acts they are proud of. Discuss with them the kinds of activities and values that make people feel proud of themselves. Let them know that it’s completely fine if they don’t have anything to say for a day. 

3.How are you planning to make peace with something that annoyed you today?

The question indicates that it’s natural to get annoyed or disappointed with someone/something in life. It lets your kid accept the situation and allows them to discover ways to make peace with it. Eventually, it will make them realize the importance of mental peace in a fast-paced world.

4.What are the things that happened today that you’re grateful for?

Therapists recommend gratitude journaling as a way to focus on and attract the positive things in life. Practicing it every day enables your kid to be more constructive as they grow up. The question forays into your child’s world and lets you know the list of things or people they appreciate enough to be thankful for.

5. If you plan to go on a trip with someone from school, who would it be?

The answer to this question introduces you to your child’s favorite person from school. It leads to many possibilities—the person could be a classmate, teacher, coach, or janitor. It helps you understand the type of relationship your kid has with people from different walks of life. 

6. Which person (from school) do you want to become when you grow up?

Again, the answer has a wide range of possibilities. It could be a principal, a teacher, or a classmate. The conversation will let you know what inspires your children and the type of personality they look up to. 

7. If you could change one rule about school, what would it be?

 Not all aspects of school can be accommodating for your kid, and this question shows which factor they are uncomfortable with. It also shows how responsible and considerate they are when you give them the power to change something that bothers them

8. Do you remember what you were doing last year this time?

The question makes them look back, introspect, and evaluate how much they have changed since last year. Build up the conversation on physical/mental changes and let your kids assess their growth. 

Children always look up to their parents to get motivated and find solutions. Even the most reserved kids would definitely have something to share with their parents. As you talk more, one thing leads to another, and you will end up spending quality time with your kids.