Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Was there something you tried recently that turned out way harder than you thought it would be, what happened?”
What to listen for
If they talk it through calmly, even if it was frustrating, that shows they're building confidence that hard things are survivable, they're learning that struggling doesn't mean failing.
If they seem embarrassed or brush it off quickly, they might need extra reassurance that trying hard things is something to be proud of no matter how it turns out, so they don't start avoiding challenges to dodge that feeling.
If they say "I don't know" or "nothing," mention something you noticed them struggling with this week, sometimes they need you to open the door first.
What this tells you
How they talk about this shows whether they currently feel safe enough to struggle in front of you without shame.