By Mumtaz Moosa Saley
24:08:2022

Being spontaneous and changing how we ask our children about their day at school is one of our most underused parent tools. Most of us are commanders after school, and we spend time shouting orders as soon as we see our kids. Experts suggest that asking your child about their day will help you and each of your children bond in ways that will take months if you must wait for them to be interested in you. 

Experts also propose changing questions as children tend to give the same reply when you ask them the same questions; as a parent, this has been true for the past six years; my kid did not learn anything new, and nothing happened in his day. 

If we cultivate conversations, it allows us to have meaningful conversations; both my kids come out at different times, allowing me to sit and ask each of them individually about their day. My older son tends to tell me about the most exciting debate they had at school, and he would ask me my view, leading to great conversations.  

So how do we get our children to open up?

Well, here below are some questions that you could use that have been provided by parents. 

1.     What sunnah did you adopt today at school? 

2.     What was the random act of kindness you witnessed today? 

3.     What did you not enjoy about today, and how can we improve it? 

4.       What was the least appealing you have learned today? 

5.     Did you sit with someone new today at lunch? 

6.     What viewpoints did you have to share today in class, and what made the lesson stand out?

7.     If you could change one thing about school today, what would it be? 

Be creative in your questions.

Yes, as a parent, the days are short, and kids rush from point A to point B. but let’s take time to ask simple questions to set the right tone for the rest of the day. I must unlearn how to stop being a dictator in my home and be more open to conversations.