Encouraging Your Child to Open Up About School

If you’re finding it difficult to get your child to open up to you about their day at school or life in general, don’t panic; you are not alone. Most parents are used to receiving one-word answers when they ask their kids about school. However, a few simple adjustments in the way you communicate with your child can help them feel more at ease when it comes to chatting to you about their lessons, schoolwork, and friends. Here are some useful tactics from an independent college in London to help you find the best way to communicate with your child…

Try and remember that your son or daughter might not feel like talking as soon as they have finished their school day; they will probably want to zone out for a while! Most kids, no matter how old they are, will feel fatigued and will want to relax a little bit after a day of learning, so give them time to wind down before you start a discussion about school. When you do ultimately have a chat with your child, try to ask them open-ended questions that involve more than just a yes or no answer. For example, as an alternative to “Did you have a good day?” try “What did you enjoy about school today?” so that they have to put some genuine thought into their response. Altering the phrasing of your questions slightly can encourage your child to provide a more thorough answer.

Many schools send out a weekly newsletter or email to parents which will include information about what any events or updates that have been happening. If you receive one of these, be sure to read it as it will provide you with some topics that you can discuss with your child. For instance, you can ask them if any of their friends were involved in the recent drama performance or if they’d like to take part in the upcoming music event etc. As well as giving you something to talk about, it will also show your child that you have an active interest in their school life. Your enthusiasm is likely to motivate them to open up more about things that have been happening in that aspect of their life. 

It’s important to give your child your full attention whilst having these conversations because they won’t want to go into detail if they don’t think you’re truly listening. Mealtimes are usually a good opportunity for the whole family to spend some time together and share the comings and goings of their day without distraction.