Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old

The prompt

“Is there a way you know a parent loves you without them ever saying the words?”

What to listen for

If they name something specific, a look, a habit, someone always showing up to the same thing, that shows they're fluent in reading love in action, which is a huge asset for their future relationships. Reflect it back warmly rather than downplaying it.

If they struggle to think of anything, don't panic, but do take it as useful information, it may mean the ways love gets shown at home aren't currently landing the way they're intended, and a few more spoken words might help bridge that gap.

If they name something surprising or small (like always saving them the last slice), treat it with the same weight they do, these tiny things are often exactly where kids feel most loved.

What this tells you

This tells you whether they currently feel loved through everyday actions, or whether that message isn't quite getting through and needs reinforcing more directly.