Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“What does excitement actually feel like in your body right before something big happens?”
What to listen for
If they can describe physical sensations, stomach flips, can't sit still, racing thoughts, they're building real awareness of their own emotional signals, which will help them later tell excitement apart from anxiety.
If they say they don't really get excited about things, that's worth a gentle, curious follow-up rather than concern, ask about the last time something felt like a big deal to them.
If they say "I don't know," ask about a specific upcoming event and describe what you notice in their behavior beforehand.
What this tells you
This tells you how much language and awareness they have for their own internal states, which helps them manage bigger feelings later.