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Having a great chat with your primary-aged child is essential for building strong relationships and fostering open communication.
Create an environment where your kids feel comfortable coming to you with their thoughts and questions. Give them your undivided attention when they want to talk, and make sure they know you're genuinely interested in what they have to say.
When your child is speaking, listen actively and show that you're engaged by making eye contact, nodding, and responding appropriately. Avoid interrupting them and give them time to express themselves fully - it may be harder for them to find the right words straight away.
Instead of asking yes/no questions, ask open-ended questions that encourage them to share more. For example, instead of asking "Did you have a good day?" ask "What was the best part of your day?".
Validate their feelings and experiences by showing empathy. Let them know that their feelings are important and that you understand what they're going through and empathise with them.
Share age-appropriate stories from your own life that they can relate to as this can help them feel more comfortable sharing their own experiences and thoughts.
Incorporate games, jokes, and humor into your conversations. This can make talking more enjoyable and help create positive associations with communication.
Even if their thoughts seem trivial to you, remember that their world is different to yours. Respect their perspective and avoid belittling or dismissing their concerns as for them, they feel HUGE.
Establish regular times for conversations, like during family meals, bedtime, or while driving and sitting in your daily traffic jam. Maybe even stopping at sitting on a piece of street furniture, perhaps a Chatterbox if you have one in your area, while out for your regular walks. Having consistent opportunities for chats and a routine around them, can make your kids more comfortable initiating discussions.
Show interest in their hobbies, activities, and passions. Ask them about what they're currently enjoying and what they're excited about.
For younger kids, visual aids like drawings, pictures, or props can help facilitate conversations and make them more engaging. It’s also nice to be having a chat whilst doing crafts as you’re focussed on the ‘moment’ and less distracted with outside things.
Make sure your kids know that they won't be judged for what they share with you. This will encourage them to open up about both positive and challenging experiences. Sometimes this is when you need to load up the ultimate poker face, but trust us if you manage to not be judgemental they’ll keep talking with you about anything.
Share some details about your own day or experiences as this helps create a two-way conversation and models sharing for them. ‘Oh man I had the best sandwich today, just the right balance of cheese and ham - divine!’
Sometimes kids might need time to articulate their thoughts. Be patient and give them space to express themselves at their own pace as this will help them feel heard and speak up in the future.
When your kids achieve something, no matter how small, celebrate it together. This shows them that you value their efforts and accomplishments.
Even if their ideas or thoughts seem outlandish, acknowledge them positively. This encourages their creativity and confidence in sharing their thoughts.
Remember that building strong communication takes time, so don't be discouraged if your kids are initially hesitant to share. Keep these tips in mind and adapt your approach based on your child's personality and preferences.
Primary school-aged kids have a wide range of interests and topics they enjoy discussing. Their preferences can vary based on their age, gender, personality, and current trends, but here are some common things that many kids in this age group tend to like talking about.
1. Favourite Activities and Hobbies: Kids love to share what they enjoy doing in their free time, whether it's playing a sport, drawing, dancing, playing video games, or collecting something like trading cards.
2. School Experiences: They might want to talk about their teachers, friends, class activities, field trips, and any interesting things that happened at school.
3. TV Shows, Movies, and Cartoons: Many kids have favorite TV shows, movies, and characters. They might enjoy discussing plot twists, funny scenes, and sharing their opinions on what they watch.
4. Books and Reading: If your child enjoys reading, they might want to talk about their favourite books, characters, and stories they're currently immersed in.
5. Pets and Animals: Kids often have a fascination with animals, whether they have pets of their own or just enjoy learning about different animals and their behaviours.
6. Family and Friends: Talking about family events, holidays, and catch ups with friends can be a great topic. They might share stories about their siblings, cousins, or playmates.
7. Superheroes and Imaginary Play: Many kids have favorite superheroes or engage in imaginative play. They might want to discuss their favorite superpowers, make-believe adventures, and create their own stories. What’s your superpower?
8. Current Events and Trends: Depending on their exposure and understanding, they might have questions about things happening in the world or trends they're observing, like popular toys or games.
9. Sports and Physical Activities: If your child is into sports or physical activities, they might want to discuss recent games they played, their favorite teams, or sports they're interested in.
10. Art and Creativity: Kids often love sharing their drawings, crafts, and creative projects. They might also enjoy discussing art techniques, favourite colours, and what they like to create.
11. Dreams and Aspirations: Some kids enjoy talking about their dreams for the future, whether it's becoming an astronaut, a veterinarian, or anything else they're passionate about.
12. Jokes and Riddles: Kids love humour, and sharing jokes, riddles, and funny stories can be a great way to engage them in conversation.
Here’s one of our favs …
Question: What’s brown, long and sticky?
Answer: A stick
13. Food and Snacks: Conversations about favourite foods, snacks, and treats can be quite entertaining for kids, especially if they get to discuss what they like to eat.
14. Technology and Games: As technology becomes more integrated into their lives, kids might want to discuss video games, apps, and gadgets they're using. Yes this may mean Roblox … patience is a virtue here:)
15. Nature and Outdoors: Discussions about nature, outdoor adventures, and exploring the world around them can be exciting for many kids.
Remember, the key is to listen actively and show genuine interest in whatever they want to talk about. This will encourage them to open up and share more with you. As their interests evolve, the topics they want to discuss might change, so stay attuned to their preferences over time.
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