Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Has there been a time you felt left out of a group, and what was that actually like?”
What to listen for
If they open up with real detail about how it felt, they trust you with the raw, less flattering feelings, not just the easy ones, that's a strong sign of safety in this relationship.
If they minimize it, "it's fine, whatever", they might still need you to simply acknowledge that being left out stings, without trying to fix it or explain the other kids' behavior.
If they say it's never happened, let that stand; not every kid has a story ready, and pressing for one can feel like doubting them.
What this tells you
This tells you how they experience not belonging, and how much they need you to just sit with that feeling rather than solve it.