Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“If someone wanted to give you a surprise hug, how would you want them to ask first?”

What to listen for

If they describe wanting a simple heads-up or a chance to say yes or no, they're showing healthy instincts about their own body and space, which is exactly what you want to hear and should praise clearly.

If they say they don't mind surprises at all, that's fine too, but it's worth gently noting that it's still always okay to change their mind in the moment, so they know the choice stays theirs even from people who love them.

If they say "I don't know," ask them to imagine it happening right now and see how their body reacts.

What this tells you

This tells you how clearly they understand that their body and space belong to them, even with people who love them.