Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Is there a job you've completely ruled out? What makes you so sure it's not for you?”
What to listen for
Their reasons for ruling something out often reveal as much as their dreams do, listen for whether it's about the work itself, the lifestyle, or a fear (like public speaking or failure) driving the no.
If the reason involves a fear, that's worth gently exploring later, not to talk them out of the fear, but to understand it better.
If they say they haven't ruled anything out, that openness is worth noting too, it may mean they feel like all doors are still open to them, which is a great sign of confidence about the future.
What this tells you
What they rule out reveals their current fears or values just as clearly as what they dream about.