For Christmas, my mom gave me this cool new book. It’s called Q&A a Day For Kids. The jist of it is that every day you ask your kids a question and record their answer in the book. It includes space to record their answers for 3 consecutive years. So, for example, on January 8th I asked Joseph and Alex a question. Then on January 8th, 2014 and 2015 I ask them the same question and record their answers. Pretty sweet, huh?
Well, we’ve started this daily ritual at dinnertime. The boys love it. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:
- Always ask Alex the question first. Otherwise Joseph and Alex’s answers will be the exact same.
- Getting Joseph to pipe down while Alex works through his answer is nearly impossible.
- Seeing how their little brains comprehend questions that even I find tough to answer is amazing.
- This book would probably be better for kids over the age of 4. But we’re going to go with it for Alex anyway.
- Spending some time at the dinner table talking about things other than how many more bites we have to take is exhilarating!
- It’s fun to see a theme to their answers.
- It’s also fun to see how evident their personalities are in their answers, even at 3-and-a-half and almost 6.
So here are a few of the questions and answers we’ve covered so far:
January 2nd
Q: What is your favorite thing to do with friends?
A: Joseph, “I like to play with Preston downstairs with the monster trucks.” Alex, “Play cars.” {A man of few words; I love that about him.}
January 3rd
Q: What are you excited about?
A: Joseph, “I’m having my birthday soon.” {Good answer. Birthdays are awesome.} Alex, “Going to the store with Daddy.” {This was the night he got to go pick out a new toy for going a whole day without his pacifier. I’d be excited too!}
January 5th
Q: Describe a time when you were mad. {As the source of most of their anger, I was not looking forward to these answers.}
A: Joseph, “I was mad when I couldn’t go to Preston’s to go in the hot tub.” {Sensing a theme here??} Alex, “I knocked on the door.” (me, “what were you mad about?) “Momma.” {There it is.}
January 6th
Q: If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Joseph, “I would go home and rest all day because that would be “belaxing,” maybe watch TV.” {This kid is awesome.} Alex, “I would go to the store – Target – because I play cars there.” {And there’s theme #2!}
January 7th
Q: What would you like to do but can’t do yet? (I added “because you are not a grown up” to get across the point of the question.)
A: Joseph, “Make the rules.” {Ha! Nice one. He’s a leader, though, that’s evident. Or a control freak like his mother.} Alex, “Drive a fire truck.” {yup.}
I can’t wait to see how their minds, outlooks, and responses change over the next 3 years. Thanks, Mom, for this awesome tool to document what might otherwise go unsaid and unexplored.
