When your child starts kindergarten, moves to a new school, or enters an unfamiliar setting, they may have thoughts and feelings they might not share with you on their own. But so much is happening that you should know about. Have conversations with your child ever sounded like this?

“How was your day?”
“Good.”
“What did you do in school?”
“Nothing.”

You may feel there’s a lot more they could be telling you but you’re not really sure about what to say to get more information. If you feel comfortable, consider using some or all of the questions below to connect and dig deeper. Use them as often as you can on the way home from school, or if your child will be riding the school bus, talk when you settle in at home. Having these conversations when your child is young builds a strong foundation for open communication as they grow older. In fact, they may become so engaged in the process that they start asking questions to check in with you.

When I do this with my 8 year old son, I start by giving him a big hug and saying, “You can tell me anything, as long as it’s the truth.” Through this dialogue with my son, I learned about a child who was bullying him, a teacher who deserved praise from me for making him feel special, and so much more.