Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Tell me about a time you chose to include someone who was being left out.”
What to listen for
A confident, specific story shows real moral courage, including someone against the group's momentum takes guts, and it deserves clear, genuine praise.
If they mention it was uncomfortable or risky socially, acknowledge that honestly, doing the right thing isn't always easy, and naming that makes it more likely they'll do it again.
If nothing comes to mind, ask how it feels when they see someone being left out, even if they didn't act, the feeling itself is a good starting point for a bigger conversation.
What this tells you
This shows whether their sense of fairness is strong enough to act on even when it costs them some social ease.