Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“What's a story about me that you want to hear again?”
What to listen for
The story they pick tells you a lot about what side of you they want more access to, a funny story shows they love your playful side, an old story about when you were their age shows they want to feel connected to you as a real kid once, not just a grown-up in charge.
If they ask for a story where you struggled or made a mistake, that can be them wanting reassurance that struggling is normal, even for grown-ups, a lovely thing to lean into honestly.
If they say "I don't know," offer two or three story options yourself and let them pick which one to hear again.
What this tells you
The story about you they keep asking to hear shows which version of you they most want to feel close to.