On the Move Check-Ins
Finding the right time and place to talk with your child about emotions or other challenges they're facing isn't always easy. Try getting your child to open up and talk with you while on the way home from school, daycare, or a long visit with family. Car rides, time spent on transit, or even while walking are all great opportunities for conversations without a lot of added pressure or stress.
Use specific feelings-oriented language to get your child to open up. Example conversation starters:
- Tell me something that made you happy or proud today.
- What made you proud/worried today?
- I see you're smiling/frowning. What's making you feel happy/sad?
Conversations can flow more easily when you're in transit because it's not face-to-face, and there are things to look at while you chat. Taking time to talk about feelings allows your child to offload things that may be on their mind and gets them used to talking about their emotions, an essential skill in managing them.
Try this next:
Consider taking an extra loop around the block or taking the scenic route to share how your day is going too. Showing them how to talk about feelings makes them feel more comfortable being open with you.