Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old
The prompt
“Was there a time you said no to something and felt really proud of yourself afterward?”
What to listen for
A clear memory of standing up for themselves shows healthy confidence in their own limits. Celebrate it loudly, this is exactly the instinct you want them to keep.
If they can't think of one, ask about a time they wanted to say no but didn't, and gently talk through what that might look like next time.
Either way, reinforce that saying no to something that doesn't feel right is always allowed.
What this tells you
This shows you how strong their sense already is that their own no matters and deserves to be respected.