Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“What's something you really want to learn how to do next?”

What to listen for

If they answer with excitement and specifics, a flip, a recipe, riding without training wheels, they're showing you they feel capable of growing and are eager for the next challenge, which is a great sign of confidence.

If they pick something surprisingly hard or grown-up, that's them stretching toward independence and wanting to be seen as more capable than people assume.

If they say "I don't know," ask "what does a big kid you admire do that you wish you could do?", borrowing a role model often unlocks the answer.

What this tells you

What they choose to learn next shows you where they're hungry to feel more capable and grown right now.