Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Was there anything tricky today that you ended up figuring out all by yourself, without anyone helping?”
What to listen for
A confident answer means they're starting to trust their own problem-solving, which is a big deal at this age. Ask what they did, step by step, they'll love replaying it.
If they say someone always helps them, that's worth noticing gently. It might mean they haven't had much space yet to struggle a little and land on their own solution.
A 'nothing was hard' answer is fine too. You can ask about a time this week instead, no pressure.
What this tells you
This tells you how much they already trust themselves to handle hard moments without needing rescue.