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conversation starters for kids and parents

There is so much opportunity to have fun conversations with your kids if you start with the right questions. We have learned from experience not to ask questions with one-word answers. Open-ended questions are where it’s at.

Here are Some of Our Favorite Conversation Starters for Kids and parents:

For check-ins and deeper conversations:

• What is the most fascinating thing you learned today?
• What is your favorite part about today?
• Who did you eat lunch with? Or play on the playground with?
• What is the oddest thing you did today?
• What’s a new experience you had this week?
• What is something you have recently done that you are proud of?

For mealtime or drivetime:

• If you could only eat one fruit for the rest of your life, which would you pick and why?
• Would you rather live in an igloo or a treehouse?
• Would you rather be able to walk on the moon or breathe underwater?
• What’s something new you’d like to try this year?
• What’s your favorite memory of the last year?
• If you could go back in time and change your name, what would you choose?
• What do you think the clouds feel like?
• What’s your favorite color in the rainbow?
• What’s the best thing about being the exact age you are right now?
• If you were deep-sea diving, which creatures would you like to see?
• What’s your favorite thing to do when it’s raining?
• If you could fly, where would you go?
• If you had one superpower, what would it be?
• Who would you like to get a letter from?
• What do you most wonder about the future?
• If you could hang out with anyone in history, who would it be? And what would you do?

Remember, these conversation starters can help you lay the foundation for the more challenging conversations that are coming. If your kids can rely on you to answer the crazy questions, they’ll be more willing to ask the challenging ones. Have fun and be ready to laugh a lot!

how to parent a strong-willed child

As parents of strong-willed children, we have to balance parenting without breaking their will. I want my children to be successful, independent adults who care about and positively influence others.

Here Are 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Relationship With Your Strong-Willed Child:

1. Help them learn through experience.

Strong-willed kids want to learn on their own terms, not just from our experiences. They want to experience it for themselves. Let your child explore what they like. Let them push beyond what they think they can do.

2. Offer explanations as to why.

Saying “Because I said so” doesn’t suffice for a strong-willed child. They want answers and reasons. Knowing this, you can offer an explanation before they ever ask why.

3. Stick to your word.

It’s crucial to do what you say you’ll do.

4. Offer choices.

Remember, strong-willed kids desire to be in control. This means when we want something done, and we only offer one choice, they’ll push back. It’s their nature. They aren’t necessarily being defiant. So, the best thing to do is present two choices.

5. Listen to them.

Strong-willed kids have desires, thoughts, and knowledge they want to share. You, as the parent, may well know best, but they have opinions and beliefs they feel strongly about. Ask your child for their input.