Ask Your Child 'How was School Today' with these 5 Interesting Tips

Created by Ankita A Talwar Updated on Jan 27, 2019

Most children seem to become tight-lipped as soon as they are faced with the question – ‘how was school today?’ They just don’t want to talk about school or seem to forget what happened in school! Well, don’t worry—it is not that they are hiding something or that they are suffering from some memory ailment. It is just that the familiar routine at the school, day in day out, seems to blur out specific memories and all days start to look similar to them—well almost! So, how can you get your child to tell you all about their activities in school? Read on to find out!
5 Questions To Ask Instead Of “How Was School Today?”
Here are some quick, snappy questions you can ask them to elicit information out of the little tot, without really seeming nosey and irritating them, or helping them flash back on the particular day.
-
You want to know: What happened in school today?
Ask instead: What did you enjoy the most in school today? Reason: Simply asking the child day after day, what happened in school today, will evoke no memories of moments spent in school, but enticing them to share what they enjoyed the most, will make them reflect on the day spent. Chances of them telling you not only what they enjoyed, but also what they didn’t enjoy and in a way summarizing the day for you are higher -
You want to know: Did you finish your meal/tiffin in school?
Ask instead: Did you like the sandwich (or whatever you served in the tiffin) today? In cases, where the school offers the meal, you can gently tease the child into telling you whether she finished her meal or not by asking, “Did the school again serve you boring parantha-subzi?” (or pick up one item from the school menu that your child particularly dislikes or likes). Reason: Trying to get the child to answer in a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ fashion, after a few days, will make the child feel she is being interrogated and children don’t like that. But asking a vague question will not only make them correct you (“Mumma, I wasn’t served parantha-subzi but was given idli today”) but also prompt them to engage in a conversation with you (“Mumma the idli was very spicy/or I liked the ketchup in the sandwich”) -
You want to know: Did (name) a particular child again bother you today?
Ask instead: Did anyone get a time-out from the teacher today? Reason: Believe it or not preschoolers have an ego to carry around and sometimes out of ego/scare of being scolded/shame of being pushed around, makes them not willing to talk to you directly. And if you ask them too much, you may end up pushing them further in their shells. But asking them indirectly will make them talk to you if they notice they are not the target of the question. “Oh yes, mumma, ma’am scolded (name) for pushing me”. Also, in this case, if a particular batch-mate in your child’s class is bothering her too much, through indirect question you show the child that you stand by her and that the behavior of the other one is not endorsed by you. (But in case it is question of bullying, please involve the teacher as well and talk gently to the child.) -
You want to know: How was school today?
Ask instead: What did teacher praise you for in school today? Reason: Children evade direct questions, but a teaser like this makes them feel important and they want to tell you the highlights of the day. “Ma’am praised me for finishing my worksheet on time.” So, now you know that 1) not only was a worksheet done in school, but apparently 2) your tiny tot did a decent job of it too. Job well done !. READ: What Did You Do in School today? -
You want to know: Did you not enjoy school today (in case the child is looking a little low when back from school) Ask instead:
Did the teacher get upset with you for not being able to remember the rhyme (you could name any other activity here)? Reason: Again the idea is to avoid asking questions that sound like an interrogation at the end of which the child dreads there will be a judgment. Also by naming an activity that you know may or may not be the cause of grief, you open a channel for your child to talk, the first step being that he will correct you and say that “Rhymes did not happen today” or “I did my rhymes well, but….”)
And some more
Here are some more sample questions through which you can engage your child into telling you how the school was without sounding like a policeman -
- What made you laugh today? (You will get an insight into not only the activities but also the friends the child has
- Tell me a new word you heard today
- Who would you like to sit next to in school tomorrow (again will get you the names of the children, you little one is bonding with in the class)
- What all did you use a pencil today for?
- What was the best part of lunch today?
But at the end of this remember, nothing lasts forever with children and the life of these questions is also limited…so after a few months, you may need to re-think your questions…till then, happy parenting!
Did you find this blog useful? Share your feedback with us in the comments section!

| Jan 06, 2019
very helpful tips. thank you

| Aug 31, 2018
thank u all again

| Aug 31, 2018
very well written

| Jul 17, 2018
thanks

| Jul 17, 2018
very good tips

| Jul 17, 2018
wow lovely,,, very much useful for momss

| May 02, 2018
wow amazing ideas to deal with kids.. thank you so much...

| Apr 17, 2018
Really I am so happy to read all these new ideas . I am definitely going to try these

| Apr 13, 2018
useful blog thanks for sharing.

| Apr 12, 2018
very nice...

| Apr 12, 2018
lovely

| Apr 11, 2018
Very useful blog. thanks for sharing.

| Apr 10, 2018
good direction to open communication with our kids ...thank you

| Apr 10, 2018
Thanks, very useful blog..

| Apr 10, 2018
thanks a lot.. for helpful tips.

| Apr 10, 2018
very nice blog.. it is very useful for me,my son always avoid school discussion with me

| Apr 10, 2018
thank u so much for d info

| Apr 03, 2018
thanks.. very helpful and supporting blog

| Apr 03, 2018
thanks.. very helpful and supporting blog

| Mar 19, 2018
kjgj

| Mar 19, 2018
p LM0

| Mar 16, 2018
oy

| Mar 16, 2018
wonderful ideas

| Mar 16, 2018
awesome... full of positivity for kidos

| Mar 16, 2018
thanks ..it's really useful for me

| Mar 16, 2018
thanx for the blog

| Mar 16, 2018
thnx for the blog its vry help full

| Mar 15, 2018
thnks for the blog really helpful

| Dec 06, 2017
Thanks for opening dis app

| Oct 12, 2017
helpful tips thank you

| Oct 12, 2017
helpful tips thank you

| Oct 12, 2017
helpful tips thank you

| Sep 01, 2017
helpful tips!!!!

| Jul 29, 2017
thanks a lot I'll try this tips

| Jul 29, 2017
thanks a lot I'll try this tips

| Jun 19, 2017
Thank you.. nice ideas

| Jun 19, 2017
nice tips...

| Jun 17, 2017
Helpful tips.. Thank you
| Jun 16, 2017
Really helpful

| Jun 15, 2017
nice helpful

| Jun 15, 2017
good

| Jun 14, 2017
Really helpful... Thanks for posting.

| Jun 13, 2017
good topic. help me a lot. Thanks a lot

| May 22, 2017
Really good ideas. This website made me sign-up, simply to read this article, I did, & it was worth it. However, I do NOT appreciate the website'requiring' a child's full date of birth ... in 5 years or 10, that child is going to have a bank account ....

| Apr 30, 2017
Good article. Thanks

| Apr 28, 2017
thanks a lot.... I think it will definitely work

| Apr 28, 2017
wow thanku very much it wud help me a lot

| Apr 26, 2017
After reading your tips, seems they'll really work. Thanks a lot :)

| Apr 19, 2017
I want to know about psychological behavior of the child

| Apr 19, 2017
Really very interesting and helpful ideas...

| Apr 19, 2017
It was really helpful....

| Apr 15, 2017
It is really helpful in knowing child very well

| Apr 14, 2017
Useful tips.

| Apr 12, 2017
Very useful information... Although my son is 2 now... Soon I will be in the same situation.... Thanks for sharing...

| Apr 06, 2017
This really works out. My child literally uttered everything what's done in class. First time ever.

| Mar 24, 2017
superb tips

| Mar 20, 2017
very useful tips, thanks for making

| Mar 20, 2017
very useful tips, thanks for making

| Mar 14, 2017
good things catches up .. thanks

| Mar 14, 2017
thanks for sharing this... Very useful tips, will surely try on my daughter.

| Feb 18, 2017
Thank u. Hope these questions help me to know my lil ones day to day school activities

| Feb 16, 2017
gr8... interrogating wid fun.. kids finds the same ques interesting if asked d othr way round.. cool...

| Feb 10, 2017
This pattern of questions really works.... thanks alot

| Feb 10, 2017
hi i asked like this way described in blog but she didn't response.

| Feb 09, 2017
the best way to know our child

| Feb 08, 2017
Brilliant Ankita! Couldn't have been better in reading parents mind :-)

| Feb 08, 2017
very helpful

| Feb 08, 2017
Thank you .... this is very helpful

| Feb 08, 2017
nice

| Feb 08, 2017
good one

| Feb 08, 2017
nice i will try to follow

| Feb 08, 2017
very useful suggestions. thanx for the post

| Feb 08, 2017
very nice and informative Thanx for sharing.

| Feb 08, 2017
I need suggestions about rubella vaccination. Is it must or not?

| Feb 08, 2017
Very nice article

| Jan 18, 2017
Helpful!!

| Jan 15, 2017
It is very important

| Jan 15, 2017
Excellent information.

| Jan 14, 2017
Thankx yaar.. nice technique

| Jan 14, 2017
Such Useful Information

| Jan 13, 2017
Nice blog

| Jan 13, 2017
Really Good one and thanks for sharing....

| Jan 13, 2017
good one... hope this will create bounding with kid

| Jan 13, 2017
Super

| Jan 12, 2017
effective...

| Jan 12, 2017
Very informative

| Jan 12, 2017
How to behave with when she is not doing well

| Jan 12, 2017
well explained

| Jan 12, 2017
very nice

| Jan 11, 2017
Found it very useful.

| Jan 11, 2017
nice

| Jan 11, 2017
Nice explanation
| Jan 11, 2017
useful points. Hope it will work

| Jan 11, 2017
nice...

| Jan 10, 2017
Useful information

| Jan 10, 2017
HOPE IT WILL HELP ME THANKS

| Jan 10, 2017
very useful thank you

| Jan 10, 2017
nice

| Jan 10, 2017
Useful Points.. Thank you

| Jan 09, 2017
Indeed ....goody questions

| Jan 09, 2017
Points to be noted!! Very useful!!!!

| Jan 09, 2017
Good points thanks

| Jan 09, 2017
Too Good

| Jan 07, 2017
Too good

| Jan 06, 2017
Really nice

| Jan 06, 2017
Really nice

| Jan 06, 2017
really asking questions that would prove responses is a good idea to get out the child plus keeps the parents updated with the activities and stuff that happen in the school..

| Jan 02, 2017
very informative... nicely explained

| Dec 22, 2016
really helpful

| Dec 16, 2016
hope dis ll help me... good

| Dec 14, 2016
good one... quite helpful tips

| Dec 13, 2016
jggggjjb

| Dec 13, 2016
that is really a easy way to talk our little one...... thnks

| Dec 13, 2016
very helpful. ...thanx

| Dec 13, 2016
very useful... thanks a lot

| Dec 11, 2016
Thts really cool... thx a ton

| Dec 10, 2016
thanks will try today

| Dec 09, 2016
very good

| Dec 08, 2016
Thank u. Its very much useful to know your kid.

| Dec 08, 2016
Nice

| Dec 08, 2016
Very useful. Thankyou. Most parents face such a situation.

| Dec 08, 2016
Interesting method

| Dec 07, 2016
very helpful. Thank you

| Dec 07, 2016
Very nice thanks

| Dec 06, 2016
Nice thanks for the suggestions

| Dec 06, 2016
Excellent suggestions.. Thank you for sharing..

| Dec 05, 2016
Gud suggestions

| Dec 05, 2016
Believe me.. Today itself I was thinking to ask same question for my baby.... She also doesn't tell me anything abt school.. Bt now I will try d same way as described in d blog.. Thank u thank u so much...

| Dec 05, 2016
Thanks for sharing. It will certainly help me.

| Dec 05, 2016
thanks for sharing.. I was facing Same problem.. but i wil implement dis point in me.

| Dec 04, 2016
good vay of asking

| Dec 04, 2016
thanks for the nice tips...

| Dec 04, 2016
very nice

| Dec 04, 2016
thanks for such a great tips

| Dec 03, 2016
thank you so much foe such great inputs!!

| Dec 03, 2016
Good article.

| Dec 03, 2016
good

| Dec 03, 2016
very helpful for conversation with kids

| Nov 15, 2016
nice and helpful blog

| Nov 12, 2016
good post. .thanks for sharing

| Oct 27, 2016
Good one. My daughter started speaking words n still don't frame sentences. Could you please advise some ways to get these answers.

| Sep 16, 2016
nice

| Sep 15, 2016
My kid also doesn't respond to straight way questions, and I really get worried for this. I will even try out your way of asking. Appreciate it. Nice blog

| Sep 15, 2016
Nice

| Aug 31, 2016
Nice one n it worked for me thanks alot

| Aug 10, 2016
Good insight.. I agree.

| Aug 05, 2016
well said

| Aug 04, 2016
The way of questions u tell us are very nice. generally we are asking to our children like that and they are not answering properly... but your way of asking is really good and effective. thank u.

| Aug 03, 2016
well, really helpful

| Aug 02, 2016
Well written. Will definitely keep in mind when required. Thank you.

| Aug 02, 2016
Very well written and very helpful.

| Aug 02, 2016
well said

| Jul 21, 2016
Very nice blog.

| Jul 19, 2016
Well said!! Thank s alot.... i always used to ask lik these qus oly.... so m dng good...

| Jul 08, 2016
we see todlers always wants to be praised,unknowingly they might tend to tell something just to get praises or some bad incident like pushed/hurted by friend few days ago but telling the same incident again and again ...in such cases how will we be able to realise wether it happned or not. coz kids are too small to remember when tht incident happened for us to actually know

| Jul 07, 2016
Very well written.. will surely try

| Jul 05, 2016
Really appreciate your efforts...... very useful..... keep up the good work

| Jul 05, 2016
Interesting questions to ask your child. Thank you Ankita!

| Jul 05, 2016
Good read

| Jul 04, 2016
nice blog,its really good

| Jul 04, 2016
Nice blog Very useful

| Jul 04, 2016
Very useful...

| Jul 04, 2016
its looks really helpful

| Jul 04, 2016
This is really a good way to know what happened in the school

| Jul 04, 2016
good one!

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