How can I encourage my children to have a conversation at the table instead of gobbling down their food and running or just being silly?

 

Conversation is a very important social aspect of eating but it doesn’t come naturally to children, nor do they usually want to or know how to participate in adult led conversation. And, as any parent knows, your child isn’t going to converse and share anything useful about their day at school or nursery!

 

Of course, carry on your grown up conversation with your partner and family members as it is important for them to learn and see what they’re aiming for but how about interspersing that with some conversation that your children are able to join in with?

 

To make it more fun, you could have a conversation starter jar on the table along with your meal.

 

You take it in turns to pull out a note from the jar and ask the question on the note for everyone to answer. The questions should be relatively light-hearted and not your average adult conversation but probing, thoughtful, empowering and a step in the right direction.

 

Some ideas:

 

If you had a superpower what would it be and how would it help people?

 

Who is your favourite book character and why?

 

Who is the funniest person you know?

 

What’s one fun thing you hope to do in the next year?

 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why?

 

What do you love most about…?

 

What’s your best feature?

 

What are you grateful for today?

 

What’s something you couldn’t do when you were younger but that you can do now?