Having great conversations with your kids makes parenting easier. Especially Christian parenting, because you are trying to parent hearts and not just behaviors. But many parents struggle with knowing how to start those conversations with their kids.
So I was interested when offered the chance to review a new book, The Daily Question for You and Your Child by Waterbrook. The book is set up like a journal. Each entry is dated with the day and space to write answers during three different years. This is really a great idea, since kids change quickly – especially when they are young. Or I imagine you could do the journal every other year to keep the questions fresh and to see a little more developmental change in your kids.
There is enough space for each year to record the answers for a parent or two and probably three or four kids if you are brief and write fairly small. Otherwise one child’s answer could take up the entire space. (I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you purchased one for each child!)
The questions range from rather straightforward, like “Who is your best friend?” to deeper questions like, “What is the best way to show God’s love to someone?” Some will help you learn more about your child’s world, while others will help you learn about what’s going on in their hearts and minds.
This is honestly a great idea, but your really have to know your kids and how to present it to them so it seems fun and not like daily homework. In fact, if it were me, I would be tempted to do it during family dinners as part of the fun dinner time conversation. It may encourage you to eat together more and if you skip a day or two, just ask more questions the next time you eat together.
If you start when your kids are younger, some kids will enjoy looking back a few years later at what they said when they were “little”. This also gives you a great opportunity to talk about changing and growing over time and other deeper topics.
While this is a great tool or a fun exercise for many families, realize it is just that. It can help you continue having great conversations with your kids or it can give you a little assistance in beginning to have more meaningful discussions with them. The book by itself will not solve dysfunctional communication habits or repair broken relationships. It’s just a fun way to remind yourself to be more intentional about talking with your children about the things that matter.
I think any family would enjoy this book. If nothing else, it’s a great tool for those extended family dinners that can be awkward in some families. You can use them as conversation starters so extended family can get to know each other better. Having real conversations can any family get closer to each other and God.
A copy of this book was given to me for free in exchange for my honest review. An affiliate link is included for your convenience.