Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Tell me about a time being patient actually paid off for you.”
What to listen for
If they connect waiting to a genuinely good outcome (a better turn, a nicer surprise, avoiding a mistake), that's a strong, concrete belief forming that patience is worth the discomfort, reinforce it by naming the connection clearly. If they can't think of an example, that's developmentally normal; patience is one of the last self-control skills to fully form.
Notice their tone when telling the story, pride in having waited well is a great sign they're starting to feel proud of self-control, not just resentful of having to wait.
If they say "I don't know," offer a specific recent memory you noticed, like waiting for a turn or waiting for something to bake or dry.
What this tells you
Whether they can name a moment patience paid off shows how much they currently trust that waiting is worth it, not just annoying.