Not only is it important for parents to be aware of what their child does during the day in preschool or kindergarten. A child’s parents can assist their child in putting the events of the day into perspective, but, they can’t do so if the child refuses to communicate because they are naturally shy, embarrassed, humiliated, or feeling guilty about anything that occurred at school. So, what options do parents have? There’s a trick. They can begin by acknowledging that the children and their parents are members of the same team.
What Do Experts Think?
The lack of conversation is the source of the issue. Shane Owens, Ph.D., a cognitive and behavioral psychologist says that a kid loves their parents and wants to talk to them, however, there might be some natural resistance. Their foe is the resistance, not their kid. It’s supposed to be a normal conversation, not acting like the kid is a suspect in a crime. Understanding and patience are key.
A key part of the trick is to play the long game, which entails asking them about their day starting at a very young age so that it becomes a habit in later years. Before encouraging a preschooler to talk about what occurred at daycare, parents can set an example for the kind of behavior they want to see from their children by talking about their days.
The Steps of Tricking a Child Into Talking About Their Day
- Start Early – Establishing a family custom of chatting about the day, early on, helps kids build communication habits that will serve them well throughout their lives.
- Be Patient – A child may put up a fight when you ask them questions. Spending some time with a child doing anything other than talking can allow them the opportunity to express themselves more freely.
- Act Silly – Disarming children can be accomplished by asking them absurd questions that either make them laugh or offer them the opportunity to correct their parents.
- Be Tricky – Try to catch the youngster off guard by posing a question about a scenario that’s similar to their own and trick the kid by asking for guidance on how to handle it.
- Make it Count – This teaches parents the importance of actively listening to their children, which is especially important when the child in question is often reserved.