Maintaining an open line of communication with children is extremely beneficial for their social and emotional development. Getting kids to share what they experience during the day, either good or bad helps them to 'grow' through what they go through with a positive outlook.
It helps gardeners develop communication skills, encourages self-reflection, builds stronger relationships, improves problem-solving skills, and reduces stress and anxiety.
Scroll down for some helpful Tips Unpack Your Day & To Get Gardeners (of all ages) To Open Up & Talk About Their Day and to download the 'Gardening Tool Badge for this exercise.
As a parent ,caregiver or guardian, it can be challenging to get children to open up about their day. However, there are several techniques that you can try to encourage kids to share their experiences with you.
Here Are Some Helpful Tips To Unpack Your Day:
Create a routine: Establish a regular time and place for your children to talk about their day. This could be after they get home from school, during dinner or before bedtime. By making it a routine, your children will come to expect it/look forward to it, and it will become a natural part of their day.
Ask open-ended questions: Instead of asking yes or no questions, ask your children open-ended questions that require more detailed answers. For example, instead of asking "Did you have a good day?", ask "What was the best part of your day?" "Who was kind to you today?" "Was anyone unkind to you today?"
Express interest: When your children do share something with you, show that you are interested and engaged. Ask follow-up questions and encourage them to tell you more.
Be patient: Sometimes, your children may not want to talk about their day right away. Be patient and give them some space. They may be more willing to open up later on.
Avoid judgment: Try not to judge or criticize your children for what they share with you. This will only make them less likely to open up in the future.
By using these tips as a guideline, you can create a comfortable and supportive environment that encourages your children to share their experiences with you. Remember, it may take some time and effort, but planting the seeds to keep the line of communication open with young gardeners helps cultivate resilience, empathy and a positive disposition.
Hey gardeners, did Unpack Your day with a trusted gardener? If so, congratulations, you just earned yourself the 'Unpack Your day 'Gardening Tool Badge'!