"How was your day at school?" and "How was your day?" are not the best questions to ask children, according to psychologists.
"How was your day?" it could mean 100 things," said Dr. Linda Papadopoulos, a psychologist. What to say instead of this common question?
"Be patient and wait until your child is ready to talk," said psychologist Deiros Collado.
"Focus on how it feels when you see your child again at the end of your day, for example saying, 'I'm so happy to see you!' Understand if the child is coming out of school feeling overwhelmed or withdrawn,” she added.
Try to "name" their emotions when you pick them up from school. For example, you can say, "You look so happy! Something nice must have happened to you today."
Neuroscientific evidence shows that naming an emotion can help calm the body. Only when children are calm and their basic needs are met can they have a meaningful conversation.
Choose the right time to talk to the child and here's how you can ask the questions:
-"What made you laugh today?"
-"What was your favorite thing that happened to you today?"
-"What did you like more today during your break or lunch time?"
"What did the teacher say
today?"
It's also important to talk about emotions, as they can show you another side of your child's day. For example, you can ask:
-“Did you feel sad today? What happened to make you feel better?”
-"What was a difficult thing that happened to you today and how did you solve it?"
-"Have you ever felt lonely? How did you spend it?"
Source: CNBC
