Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“What's the funniest thing that's happened to you lately?”
What to listen for
If they tell the story with real energy, they feel comfortable being fully expressive and silly in front of you, which is a great sign of ease in the relationship.
If they can't think of anything, they might just be having a low-energy day, or humor might be something they save mostly for friends, either is fine.
If the story involves someone else entirely, notice who that is, it often points to who currently makes their days lighter.
What this tells you
This tells you how much lightness and joy is showing up in their daily life right now, and who's helping create it.