Student Wellbeing
Building Strong Communication with Your Child
Open and regular conversations with your child help build trust and encourage them to share both positive experiences and challenges.
Developing good communication
Set aside time for talking and listening to each other. Family meals can be a great time to do this.
Turn off phones, computers and televisions when you and your child are communicating. This shows that you are completely focused on the interaction or conversation you’re having with your child.
Talk about everyday things as you go throughout your day. If you and your child are used to communicating a lot, it can make it easier to talk when big or tricky issues come up.
Be open to talking about all kinds of feelings, including anger, joy, frustration, fear and anxiety. This helps your child develop a ‘feelings vocabulary’.
Tune into what your child’s body language is telling you, and try to respond to nonverbal messages too. For example, ‘you’re quiet this afternoon. Did something happen at school?’.
Encouraging Open Conversations
Using open-ended questions invites more detailed responses and helps keep conversations flowing. Instead of asking yes/no questions, try:
| Closed-ended questions | Open-ended questions |
| Did you have a good day? | What was the best part of your day? |
| How was school? | What did you do today at school? |
| How did the game go? | Tell me about the game? |
| How was the party? | Who was at the party? What did you do at the party? |
Tips for Navigating Tricky Conversations
Allow “cooling off” time – If emotions are running high, take a break before discussing an issue.
Model positive language – Acknowledge and encourage kindness in conversations, e.g., “I really appreciate how you asked your brother before borrowing his bike.”
Use positive phrasing – Instead of “Don’t yell at me,” try “Please speak in a calm voice.”
Recognise their efforts – When your child opens up about a difficult issue, let them know you’re proud of them for sharing.
By fostering open and supportive communication, you’re helping your child develop confidence in expressing their thoughts and feelings.