The old standard “How was your day?” brings eye rolls, maybe an unintelligible grunt, or a monotone one syllable response.  What can parents ask to better foster two-way conversations–conversations you both want to be a part of and truly hear?

What was the best part of your day?

What was a hard part of your day?

What did you learn today?

What was interesting to you?

What do you wish could have happened differently?

What are you looking forward to for tomorrow?

Engage in active listening–clear your own mind and agenda.  Don’t think about how you want them to clean their room or work on the science project later.  Ask follow-up questions like “How did that make you feel?” to learn more about your child.  And, be sure to share about your own day as well!