When your youth get home from school, it’s difficult to draw conversation out of them. Often times, if they answer your questions at all, they give monosyllabic, yes or no answers. It seems that most parents are curious about what their youth are doing at school, but they don’t know how to draw out the answers that they’re looking for. Usually, this means that the ever-irksome “what did you do (or learn) at school today?” will crop up whenever there’s a doubt of how to begin the ritualistic after-school Q and A.
If you’re struggling to find questions to ask your youth or you’re tired of asking the same things constantly, maybe it’s time to try asking something new or asking old questions in a new way.
When you’re deciding what you want to ask your youth, be sure to always ask open-ended questions rather than questions with “yes” or “no” answers. This way, you can keep the conversation going without coming to a stand-still after every answer. For example, if you ask, “Did you enjoy school today?” Your youth is almost certain to say “yes,” “no,” “it was fine,” or something similar to any of these three. Youth aren’t typically prone to giving more information than they’re asked for, so try asking more specific questions to get more specific answers. Here are some questions you might consider asking the next time you’re racking your brain for a conversation-starter that won’t double as a conversation-ender:
1. What were your favorite parts of school today? Least favorite?
2. What made you laugh today?
3. Tell me something weird that happened or that someone said or did.
4. When were you bored today?
5. What was something good that happened today?
6. What was your favorite subject today? Least favorite?
7. What was the hardest thing you did today?
8. Did anyone get in trouble today?
9. What are you looking forward to doing tomorrow?
10. Did you get better at anything today?
11. What would you change about your school?
12. What was your easiest class today? Hardest class?
13. If you had to go to only one class, what would it be? Why?
14. If you could skip a class, what would it be? Why?
15. If you could do today over again, what would you do differently?
-Hope Swedeen
What are some questions that you ask your youth when they get home from school? Which questions are they more likely to answer?
If you’re struggling to find questions to ask your youth or you’re tired of asking the same things constantly, maybe it’s time to try asking something new or asking old questions in a new way.
When you’re deciding what you want to ask your youth, be sure to always ask open-ended questions rather than questions with “yes” or “no” answers. This way, you can keep the conversation going without coming to a stand-still after every answer. For example, if you ask, “Did you enjoy school today?” Your youth is almost certain to say “yes,” “no,” “it was fine,” or something similar to any of these three. Youth aren’t typically prone to giving more information than they’re asked for, so try asking more specific questions to get more specific answers. Here are some questions you might consider asking the next time you’re racking your brain for a conversation-starter that won’t double as a conversation-ender:
1. What were your favorite parts of school today? Least favorite?
2. What made you laugh today?
3. Tell me something weird that happened or that someone said or did.
4. When were you bored today?
5. What was something good that happened today?
6. What was your favorite subject today? Least favorite?
7. What was the hardest thing you did today?
8. Did anyone get in trouble today?
9. What are you looking forward to doing tomorrow?
10. Did you get better at anything today?
11. What would you change about your school?
12. What was your easiest class today? Hardest class?
13. If you had to go to only one class, what would it be? Why?
14. If you could skip a class, what would it be? Why?
15. If you could do today over again, what would you do differently?
-Hope Swedeen
What are some questions that you ask your youth when they get home from school? Which questions are they more likely to answer?
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