Children love to talk about themselves, especially with a parent who is willing to listen. When our children notice that we care about them they feel a strong sense of belonging and significance. These are two important components for feeling well and growing well.
A fun way to boost your child’s self esteem
A fun interview to finish the year can be a great way to offer your child a chance to talk about themselves. As a bonus, that time together is a great booster to your parent-child connection.
Beyond just being fun, asking children questions that focus on what is special to them can actively boost their self-esteem. And a child with a healthy dose of self-esteem has the best defense against life’s challenges.
So here are 25 questions you can ask your child to find out more about their favorite moments of the year.
These 25 questions for children focus on topics of friendhips, food, books, movies, music, vacations, birthday parties, wishes and dreams.
- What has been your favorite moment as a ___ year old?
- What was your favorite activity this year?
- What was your favorite family event this year?
- Can you tell me a bit about your birthday party from this past year?
- What did you like about it?
- What would you like to do differently next year?
- What was your favorite story book?
- Is there a character from one of the books you (we) read that you still think about sometimes?
- What qualities about this character do you admire?
- What is something that worries you?
- Who inspires you? Why do you think that is?
- What was your favorite movie?
- What was your least favorite movie?
- What is currently your favorite food?
- What about a least favorite food?
- What food might you want to try in the next year?
- If you could only eat one thing for a whole week, what would you choose?
- What is your favorite restaurant? What do you like to eat there?
- What games do you like to play?
- What is your favorite thing to do with mom/dad/…?
- Which toys do you like to play with?
- Who is/are your best friend(s)?
- What is your favorite memory from summer break?
- Tell me something about this year that you never want to forget.
- Is there something you would like to do, or a place you would like to go in the next year? Can you tell me more about that?
This is a great activity in the present moment, and also fun to re-visit from time to time. Writing down answers to these questions in a notebook or piece of paper can create a fun record for both kids and us parents. The answers can also help us understand our children more, and be an opportunity to reflect and notice how much our children have grown, and accomplished for themselves.
If your child isn’t very chatty, I encourage you to ask just a few questions at a time. If you would like, you can download a free printable of this list from here.
What other questions might you add to this list?
Peace & Be Well,
Ariadne
