Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Is there a family rule we have that came from something in one of your parents' own childhood?”
What to listen for
If they're curious and ask follow-up questions, they're building a sense of family as something with real history and continuity, not just current rules with no explanation.
If they don't know of one, that's a great opening to share one yourself, kids this age are often more interested in the "why" behind rules than they let on.
If they push back on whether an old rule still makes sense today, take that seriously, it's a sign of sharp, independent thinking, not disrespect.
What this tells you
This shows you how connected they feel to the family's story across generations, not just to the rules as they exist today.