Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old

The prompt

“Is there a memory of a grandparent, or another older relative, teaching you something that's stuck with you?”

What to listen for

If they recall it warmly and in detail, that relationship is a real anchor for them, giving them a sense of belonging to something bigger than just their immediate day-to-day.

If they struggle to think of a memory, that's useful to know, it might be worth intentionally creating more one-on-one time with that relative going forward.

If they mention a skill rather than a feeling, ask a gentle follow-up about how it felt to learn it, the emotional part is often more telling than the fact itself.

What this tells you

This shows you how connected they feel to family history and whether that connection is currently being nurtured or could use more attention.