Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“Why do you think it matters to include someone who's sitting all alone, even if you don't really know them?”

What to listen for

If they talk about how it would feel to be that person, they're showing real empathy, imagining someone else's feelings as clearly as their own, which is a big, important step.

If they say it's just a rule or seem unsure why it matters, that's a great chance to gently ask, "how do you think it feels to be left out?" and let them arrive at the feeling themselves.

If they say "I don't know," ask about a time they felt left out themselves to make it personal.

What this tells you

This shows how developed their empathy is for people outside their closest circle.