As kids’ curiosity heightens, so will their scope of questioning. Remember, “There are no bad questions.”
• Be patient and invest time with your answers.
• Your time: If the time is not right, say as much, acknowledge their question and let them know that now is not a good time to talk, but agree when you will get back to them with an answer.
• Their time. Kids get put off by being rushed about. They won’t talk on command, you need to invest and create the time. They won’t tell you what happened at school at 3:35 pm but will most likely open up to their days’ highs and lows over a chilled out family dinner.
• Recognition. You are cultivating their self esteem; at a minimum recognise their efforts of asking and learning.
• No pressure. Don’t feel like you have to have know all the answers, kids should learn through discovery. Steer them in the right direction of discovering answers for themselves selves. E.g. ask them some leading questions that help them deduce the answers, research the answer together e.g. book, internet
• Prompt ‘em. To get started they may need some help. Maybe you start with how your day went or pick up on a topic that will interest them.
• Choose your words. Kids are very literal and as we all know it’s very hard to take words back. Think first.
• Listen. There’s a reason we have 2 ears and 1 mouth. Listen and avoid interrupting.
• Be engaged. Forget your own world, get inside their world. Laugh, give examples to demonstrate that you understand and are listening to them.
Even today my own dad can’t help but talk at us. My natural reaction is to withdraw and talk about the weather. Talk at the same level, act and be interested.

Acknowledgments and references

Dadsclub.com.au forms its own opinion through its’ own expert contributors in addition to observations from third party literature, reviews, research, interviews and meetings.

Direct quotes will be referenced and acknowledged. Content from books and sites that have influenced a particular point of view will be referenced accordingly. In this instance:

Steve Biddulph. 2002 Manhood. Author of the No.1 Bestseller Raising Boys. Finch Publishing

Ian Bruce. 2005. How to be a great dad. Forward by Dr A Bradley. Foulsham. The Publishing House, Bennetts Close, Cippenham, Slough, UK.