Eat Better, Eat Together

Families who eat together benefit physically, emotionally and psychologically.

But, once you’ve managed to get the family around the table, it’s not always easy to get the conversation flowing. Asking “How was your day?” typically gets you, “Fine.”

We challenge you to dig a little deeper and create more meaningful family time. Choose at least one question from the list below and ask it during breakfast, lunch or dinner. Encourage your kiddos to explore a thoughtful answer, and see where the conversation takes you.

1. What’s your favorite/least favorite part of school?
2. What’s your favorite book to read?
3. What’s your favorite/least favorite food?
4. What’s your favorite family activity?
5. What’s your favorite song to sing
6. What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
7. What’s your favorite thing to do with Daddy? Mommy?
8. What’s your favorite game?
9. What’s one thing you learned today?
10. Did you do something kind for someone today? What was it? (Or, why not?)
11. What was the hardest thing you did today?
12. Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
13. What is something you read and really liked today?
14. Who did you play with at recess? What did you play?
15. What could your teacher have done differently today?
16. Who did you sit with at lunch?
17. If you could become invisible, where would you go?
18. What do you want to be doing in 10 years?
19. What was the best/worst thing about today?
20. What is your favorite family memory?
21. What is something you do well?
22. What famous person would you like to meet?
23. If you got $500, what would you spend it on?
24. If you made a movie, what would it be about?
25. What is your favorite thing about everyone at the table?
26. What is your proudest accomplishment?
27. What worries you?
28. Would you rather go to the beach or play in the snow?
29. If you were only allowed to keep two of your most favorite toys, which two would you keep?
30. What is something you would like to learn how to do?
31. If you had to live inside a TV show for a week, which one would it be?
32. What is your favorite/least favorite chore?
33. Did anything sad happen today?
34. How do you prefer to be encouraged or helped?
35. What skill do you wish you could do better? How can we improve it?
36. What did you try hard at today? What challenged you?
37. Do you think your teacher ever gets frustrated or angry at school? How does s/he make herself feel better?
38. Did you notice anyone struggling today? What happened?

Who knows, maybe the kids will be so wrapped up in the conversation that they won’t even realize they ate all their vegetables. Print the list of Family Questions.