Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Is there a story from when you were a baby that you actually like hearing over and over?”
What to listen for
Naming a favorite story readily shows they enjoy feeling anchored to the family's history of them, proof they were loved and wanted long before they can remember it themselves.
If they ask you to tell it again right now, that's a clear sign the story does real comfort work for them, not just entertainment, let it run long if they want it to.
If they shrug it off as 'don't have one,' ask what story about them gets told most at gatherings, sometimes they know it exists but haven't thought of it as 'a favorite.'
What this tells you
This shows you how your child connects to their own history and whether it feels like a source of comfort.