Building Daily Connection Through Small Questions
Families who have brief, meaningful conversations daily are more resilient during crisis moments.
The Kids Mental Health Foundation highlights that families who have brief, meaningful conversations daily have healthier relationships! But “meaningful” doesn’t mean heavy or therapeutic. It means genuinely curious about your child’s inner world.
Start small with these daily connection points
Morning questions (pick one):
- “What are you looking forward to today?”
- “How are you feeling about the math test?”
- “Who do you hope to see today?”
After-school questions (that aren’t “How was school?”):
- “What was the best part of your day?”
- “Did you help anyone today?”
- “What made you laugh?”
Bedtime questions:
- “What are you grateful for today?”
- “What did you do for your mental health today?”
- “When did you feel brave today?”
The key insight from the Kids Mental Health Foundation: Don’t ask all these questions at once. Pick one, ask it, and actually listen to the answer. Follow up with “Tell me more about that” or “And then what happened?” Also, avoid yes/no questions. Sometimes you can revise a question to start with, “Tell me about…” Share too! Don’t just ask…model to kids by also answering the questions yourself open and honestly.
Make it sustainable: Choose one time of day and one type of question. Build the habit slowly rather than trying to transform all your conversations at once.