Tonight with your 5 to 8 year old

The prompt

“When you feel nervous, what does it actually feel like in your tummy?”

What to listen for

A specific answer (butterflies, a knot, wiggly) shows they're starting to notice their body's signals, which helps them manage big feelings later on. Validate whatever they describe as completely normal.

If they can't describe it, try giving them a couple of options to choose from, that often unlocks the words for them.

If they say they never feel nervous, that's fine too; you can share a time you felt nervous to make it feel safe to talk about.

What this tells you

How they describe nervousness tells you how equipped they already feel to notice and handle big feelings when they show up.