Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“What does being a really good listener for a friend actually look like?”

What to listen for

If they describe things like not interrupting, looking at their friend, or asking questions, they already understand real listening beyond just staying quiet, a strong, empathetic skill worth naming clearly.

If they describe listening as just waiting for their turn to talk, that's common and a gentle, low-pressure moment to model the difference by really listening to them right now.

If they say "I don't know," ask about a time a friend really listened to them, and work backward from how that felt.

What this tells you

This shows how deeply they already understand empathy, and how much of that they can offer their friends versus still needing modeled for them.