Getting your kid to talk about their day is like pulling teeth. Most of the time the answer you get gives you no information. Often times they might even say they did nothing, which we all know isn't true. So how do you get your kid to open up to you? Here are a few suggestions from other parents that might help.
Ask about the fun stuff first. Lunchtime, recess and classes like music are more what they care about. Inquire about how well these parts of their day went before you dive into asking about what they learned at school. They will be more likely to open up to you after, about the less exciting stuff.
Kids are always willing to spill the tea no matter how old their age. You will probably surprise them by asking, "Who got in trouble today?" It will encourage them to share a little gossip with you and as a bonus you will start to know what kids cause problems. After a while, you will know some of their names and be able to ask directly, "So, what did Joe do today?"
Trust is an important part of every relationship in your life and that includes the one you have with your kids. Make sure you are not blabbing about things your child shares with you. If you reveal something that they told you in confidence to others they might not ever trust you again.
Instead of asking your child about their whole day, break it down into asking about one good thing and one not-so-good thing that happened to them. By prompting them in this way it forces them to think about what transpired during their day and can give them specific ideas on what to share.
"Yes" or "no" questions will leave you with one word answers. If you want your child to elaborate then ask them open-ended questions. Ask something that requires more explanation like "What was the best thing about your day?"
If you don't remember, school can be stressful. Try not to bombard your kid once they get home. Give them some time to decompress before you start asking them about their day. You can catch up with them later and hopefully the conversation will flow a little easier.
Check out all 10 conversation hacks at Lifehacker.com