Article Source: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/school-learning/school-homework-tips/talking-about-school

Key points

• Talking about school with children shows you’re interested in their lives and learning.
• You can start a conversation about school by picking a good time.
• Get children talking by asking simple and positive questions about school.
• As children get closer to the senior years, talking about school might involve talking about future plans.

On this page:

• Talking about school: why children sometimes find it hard
• Why talking about school is important
• Strategies for talking about school with your child
• Tips for talking about school with primary school children
• Ideas for talking about school with secondary school children

Talking about school: why children sometimes find it hard

‘How was school?’ is a big question. To answer, your child has to sum up a whole day, and that’s hard for children (and even adults!) to do.

A child might really want to say, ‘My day was so jam-packed with ideas and classes and social stuff that I don’t know where to start’. So it’s easier just to say, ‘OK’.

Some children feel their school experiences are private, so they might not want to share them. This is a typical part of school-age development as children start to shape their own identities and social worlds. But your child still needs to know you’re available when they’re ready to talk.

Why talking about school is important

Talking with your child about the school day shows you’re interested in what’s going on in their life. This interest boosts your child’s mental health, happiness and wellbeing. It can also have a very positive effect on your child’s behaviour and achievement. It shows your child that you value school and education, which encourages them to value it too.

Talking together about school also helps you get to know more about what’s expected of your child at school, how they learn and how they handle challenges. It can help you understand when your child is feeling less interested in school or having problems.

When you’re in touch with your child’s feelings about school, you’re more likely to see problems before they get too big. This way you can work on overcoming challenges together.

And talking about school issues – like school projects or friendship problems – is also a great chance for you to express your family values about things like teamwork, respect for self and others, friendships, relationships, problem-solving and so on.

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