Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Tell me one thing you did today that made you think, 'Yeah, I'm actually pretty proud of that!'”
What to listen for
If they can name something right away, notice whether it's about an achievement (finishing, winning, figuring it out) or about being kind or brave. Both are great signs they're building a sense of who they are and what they're capable of.
If they shrug or say 'nothing,' it might just be that no one's asked them to notice their own wins before. Try offering a small example from what you saw them do today to get them started.
If they mention something tiny that seems small to you, treat it as huge. What counts as a big deal to them is the whole point.
What this tells you
What they choose to be proud of shows you where they're building confidence and where they might need you to point out wins they don't yet see in themselves.