16 Questions You Need To Start Asking Your Child About Their Day

Does your child go to preschool, daycare or is he now a little person who actually attends school? As moms, it is important for you to find out how your child spent his day and whether he is going through a problem. But the classic question “How was your day?” rarely elicits a satisfactory response! So, how can you get your kids to talk about their day? What should you ask them?

If your kids have been giving only one-word responses like okay, good or fine, welcome to yet another struggle of parenting! Kids can be immensely reluctant to discuss their day, often because they can’t figure out how to group and share information. After all, there’s a lot that kids experience in a day, from classes to games to friends, and it can be a bit overwhelming!

To know what exactly your child does when you aren’t around, ask them these 16 questions. We promise that the two of you will soon be into a rollicking conversation!

1. What interesting things did you do today?

Want to know more about what interests your child? Instead of asking the typical “which is your favorite class?”, ask them this question instead. This will encourage them to really think about their interests without limiting them to a single class or activity.

2. What part of the day would you want to change and why?

This is a certain way to find out which class or activity your kid dislikes or hates without actually using strong words like dislike and hate! Also, sometimes kids say they are not interested in something when they are actually struggling to do it, so knowing the why will help you understand which category they fall under.

3. What made you laugh today?

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The happiness of your child is an important measure of whether your child enjoys going to school or not. What’s more, it also helps ensure that your child has a well-rounded life and does well at school. This question will let your child know that going to school should not be a serious and boring affair. Encouraging your child to share what amused them and the subsequent shared laughter will also strengthen the bond between you.

4. What did you and your friends talk about during lunch break?

The simplest way to find out if your child is in good company is to ask them about their lunchtime conversation. This way you will also get to know more about their friends.

5. Is there anyone in your class who needs a friend?

Wouldn’t it be nice if your child befriended someone who has trouble mixing with other children? Making friends is an important and beautiful part of childhood, so make sure you ask this question. And it might also be that your child is the one who is having trouble fitting in.

6. Did you hear any weird words today?

Kids these days are exposed to a lot of bad language – be in it movies, music, or even their homes. Naturally, they tend to repeat what they hear, sometimes without even knowing what they are saying. Since you can correct your child only when you know what is really going on, it is important to know if they are picking up any swear words from their friends.

7. If I called your teacher today, what would she say about you?

This is a better and far more interesting alternative to the severe “did you get in trouble at school today”, isn’t it? It will get you more honest replies as well!

8. If you could sit anywhere in your class, where would you sit?

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Find out if your kid prefers to sit in the front, the middle or back of the class. More importantly, find out why! Steer clear of assumptions like your child wants to sit at the back so that they can make mischief without the teacher really noticing. In reality, it could be something as simple as the fact that your child is shy and does not want to be noticed by the teacher.

9. Did anything upsetting happen today?

A question like ”is a bully bothering you?” will most probably not encourage your child to open up to you. On the other hand, the indirect approach of this question will make it easy for your child to share if they are suffering at the hands of a bully.

10. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?

To know what day to day activities your child enjoys, ask this question as often as possible.You are likely to get a good range of answers – from classes to extra-curricular activities.

11. Which school rules would you like to change?

Hating rules is a normal part of being human. And let’s face it, some school rules can be pretty difficult. Build a rapport with your child by knowing which rules they would like to change. However, make sure you let your child know that no matter what they think of these rules, they will have to follow them to stay out of trouble.

12. Did you help anyone?

Regularly asking your child about their good deeds will help them realize the value of helping those in need. To help them further understand and appreciate random acts of kindness, ask them if anyone helped them as well.

13. Who is your least favourite teacher?

It is important to know whether your child dislikes a teacher because they teach a boring subject, they are strict, or because they are unnecessarily giving your child a hard time.

14. What do you think you should do more of at school?

This question will help you gauge your child’s interests and make you aware if your child’s school is lacking in some area. Once you know the school’s limitations, you can even take action to fix it.

15. How is this year different from last year?

A simple way to know if your child is paying attention in their classes is to ask them this question. If they say that there isn’t any difference, it is pretty clear that they are having trouble concentrating in school.

16. What was the best part of your day?

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This will help you figure out which class your child enjoys the most, and whether they prefer sports or academics. If your child says lunch is their favourite part of the day, it could indicate that your child is bored, struggling or stressed out at school.