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In the sometimes hectic whirlwind that can be your life, do you ever notice that you may have the same simple conversations with your preschooler every day? Do you ever really talk to your child or learn anything about their day? It can be hard to have a meaningful conversation with such a young child, especially when you have a million other things to do. Here are some helpful tips to turn your conversation times into a more meaningful experience.
Pinpoint Talking Times
Everyone’s schedules are different, and having meaningful conversation boils down to finding the most fruitful opportunity to do so. This could be as simple as on your drive home from preschool—turn off the music and ask your child how their day was instead. Or maybe your drive home isn’t long enough to really talk. So ask yourself about regular times during the day that you could use to instead talk. Do you watch TV during dinner? Or do you mostly talk to your spouse or the teenagers at the table? Try turning off the TV or including your preschooler on the conversation to make the time to hear about their day.
Ask Follow-Up Questions
When you ask your preschooler, “How was your day?” do they just say “good” before moving on? Ask questions like “What did you do today?” “What did you make during craft time?” “What games did you play today?” “What did your teacher talk about?” Focus on the questions that excite your little one and lean into those topics.
Make It A Game
Start your conversation with a game to create a deeper level of interaction for your child. Every day play “Your Favorite Part” where each participant shares their favorite part of their day. Regularity is key with this; the longer you go every day playing this game, the more your little one will actively find different things to share with you.
Listen
Overall, listen to what your child is saying to you. It can be easy to tune them out and instead think about what you need to do at work the next day while they talk for five minutes about their favorite song. However, these conversations with your child are priceless and also may tell you more about them than you’d think. Maybe your child is passionate about music and should pursue an instrument or singing lessons. Or when you ask about their day, does your child answer “Fine” with a sad tone? You may think they’re just being quiet, but maybe they’re unhappy at school. Paying attention to what your preschooler is telling you is the key to not only learning about their lives but also about how they are doing and feeling for the hours they spend away from you every day.
While life can get hectic, there are always ways to make time to have better conversations with your preschooler. Making these slight changes can not only help you learn more about them, but also create a tradition of open communication that will last a lifetime.
Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Duluth Suwanee located in Duluth, Georgia? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.