How to get more than a yes or no answer from your child!

Can you relate to this when you seek information on how your child went at school and the only answers you get are short one word responses or no response at all?

Don’t despair it may be that you are just not asking the right questions and allowing your child to give you the one word responses they give.

Here are some tips that you might want to consider:

  • Ask open-ended questions which will allow you to keep the conversation going longer.
  • Children don’t often realize the type of answer you are wanting so make sure you ask specific questions
  • Try and ask positive questions which will give your child a chance to express concerns where as asking negative questions it might stop the conversation quicker.

Give these afterschool conversation starters a go today!

  Avoid These Questions

  Try These Instead

 How was school?
  • What was the best thing that happened at school today?
 Who did you sit with?
  • Tell me the names of the four kids who sat closest to you.
 Was your teacher nice?
  • What was the most interesting thing your teacher said today?
  • What class rules did your teacher say are important?
  • What did your teacher say she likes to do?
 Did you have everything you  needed for school?
  • Was there anything you wish you had at school that you didn’t have today?
 Were the kids in your class nice  today?
  • Who did you enjoy talking with the most?
  • Did anyone have anything fun or interesting to talk about?
 Was the work hard?
  • What was the best thing your teacher asked you to do  in ____ today?
 Did you play with anyone at  recess?
  • What were most kids doing at recess?
  • What was the best game at recess?
  • What did you talk about at recess?
 How was lunch?
  • Who sat near you at lunch?
  • What were the other kids eating for lunch?
  • What was the funniest thing someone said at lunch?

 

It would be great to hear if you give these ago whether it made a difference or not – please feel free to email me with any feedback – amanda@organisingstudents.com.au

Source: www.ncld.org

 

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