Why asking 'How was school?' is the parenting trap you didn't see coming!

It's the question parents ask on autopilot, "How was school?" and it almost always gets the same one-word response: "Fine."

If you're tired of hitting a brick wall in daily conversations with your child, you are not alone.

A study found that 88% of parents get frustrated with one-word answers from their children. What most don’t realise is that it’s not their child being uncommunicative, it’s the question itself that’s the problem.

That classic question can be a dead end for the conversation. It's a way for us to check a box as parents, but it doesn't give our children a chance to share the small, funny, or surprising moments that truly define their day. Those are the moments we’ll cherish most.

The key is to ask questions that encourage your child to be a storyteller.

This simple change allows them to share the details you'll want to remember and record for years to come.

Here are some questions you can ask that will lead to more interesting and detailed answers:

What's one thing you learned today that you didn't know yesterday?

What's one thing you did today that made you laugh?

Who did you play with at lunchtime?

If you had a magic wand, what would you change about your day?

Did you help anyone today?

The answers to these questions are priceless - they're authentic little stories, silly thoughts, and big ideas that can get lost in the day-to-day. 

By asking the right questions, you can find out more about your child's life and ensure those memories aren't forgotten in the long run. 

You may even want to make a note for their Book of You memory journal!