Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“If you could give yourself a brand new nickname starting tomorrow, what would you actually want people to call you?”

What to listen for

A silly, fun nickname (like an animal or superhero name) usually means they're playing with identity in a light, confident way, they like themselves enough to joke about it. A nickname tied to something they're proud of (like "the fast one" or "the builder") shows you exactly what they want to be known for.

If they pick something that sounds like they want to be seen as tougher, older, or different than they are, that can be worth a gentle, curious follow-up, sometimes kids reach for a new name when they feel a current one doesn't quite fit how they want to be seen.

If they say "I don't know," toss out a couple of playful guesses based on things they love, it often unlocks a real answer.

What this tells you

The nickname they choose for themselves is a window into how they want to be known, not just how they're known now.