Parents, do you find it difficult to communicate or spark a conversation with your child––especially with older kids? Do you wish that you could get deeper into things and know how they truly feel?
Here are some clever questions suitable to ask your older children (those over 10 years old or in their teens). Feel free to insert or replace the context in the question to suit your conversation direction.
Personal
- Have you had a boyfriend or girlfriend? Describe him or her.
- If you could go to the Olympic games on any team, what sport would you choose and why?
- What are your favourite websites to visit? Why?
- How do you know when someone is spending too much time watching TV or playing video games?
- Are you good at keeping secrets?
- How hard or easy is it for you to admit when you are wrong? Has this changed over time
- Can a person be completely honest at all times? Is it ever okay to lie? If so, when is it okay to lie?
- How do you handle the situation when someone lies to you?
- Which sense is the most important: sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste? Why?
- Complete the sentence: One way I’d like to change the world is…
- Which has more impact: giving money to charities or giving time to charities?
- Who was your first real friend? What have you learned through your friendships?
- What is the greatest challenge you have ever faced? How did you handle it?
- Name 3 things that made you smile today
- If you could ask any 4 people to dinner to have great conversations, who would you ask and why?
- What are 5 words people would use to describe you? What words would you use?
- What stresses you out the most? How do you deal with it?
- What would you rather do: give a speech in front of 200 people or parachute from a plane?
School
- What is your favourite place to study? What do you like about it?
- Of all your classes this term, which one will help you most in the real world?
- If there was one school year you would NEVER do again, which one would it be? Why?
- Have you ever thought about dropping out of school? Why or why not?
- What’s your first memory of school?
- What slang expressions are popular at school? How do you use each one?
- What helps you do your best with homework? What makes a teacher a good teacher?
Ultimately, what children crave most are their parents’ time and attention. It will be sure to brighten up their day, even with a little more time together.
Mums and dads, we hope these questions help in sparking conversations with your child and getting him/her to open up to you about how they feel.
Also READ:
The Precious Gift Your Baby Leaves Behind In Your Body
An Open Letter To Mums Who Think They Are Totally Screwing Up