Three Questions

Somewhere along the way in my back to school journey, I read somewhere from some teacher that he likes to ask his kids three questions each night at dinner.  One, what is one thing that you learned today?  Two, who is one person that you helped today?  Three, what was your favorite things about your day?

I thought how hard can it be?  I can ask questions.  I think I've mentioned before that we try really hard to have family dinner at our house.  I have friends who eat at 5p or 6p whether their husbands are home or not and then, if not, he will just eat when he gets home.  Or friends who feed the kids first and then eat with their husband after the kids go to bed.  It sort of makes sense when your husband gets home late and you have little kids, but we've never done it that way.  We've always put a big emphasis on the family dinner and made an effort to make it happen.  Which is why we used to eat at 7:30p instead if 6p, but can adjust that a little better now that Charlie works from home (when he isn't traveling anyway).

I'm getting off topic.  So, we've always asked the kids how their day was and to tell us what happened, but I thought I would try these new questions for a bit.  Let me tell you, asking kids about their day is like pulling teeth.  What did you like best about today?  What?  Your lunch.  Nope, doesn't count.  Recess?  Try again.  They really don't get that we want to hear about their day.

Today I asked Sarah what she learned, and she said they learned about rocks.  Period.  Okay, better answer than I've gotten from her in the past week or so.  Then when I was putting her to bed she said, "Mommy, did you know that clay is the smallest form that rocks come in?"  Um, no, I didn't know that.  Where did you hear that?  I learned it at school today.  So why didn't you tell me that when I asked at dinner?  UGH.  I told her nicely that was something she should have told me at dinner and that's why I ask those questions.  OOOOHHH.

So, it's a work in progress.  Yesterday Amanda said she helped by picking up the crayons and markers.  Today when I asked who she helped she said nobody because it wasn't her turn to pick up the crayons and markers today.  They are slowly getting it.  Hopefully by the end of the year it will be conversation material.  Otherwise, maybe book material, lol.