Children can naturally see the world uniquely and imaginatively, often leading to unexpected moments of humor and inspiration. I fondly remember my younger sibling trying to explain the inner workings of a car to me. She described a tiny hamster running on a wheel to power the vehicle, leaving me in stitches. At this moment, she reminded me of the beauty and joy of life’s simplest things.

This brings me to engaging kids in conversation, and that can be a lot of fun and a great way to build a connection with them. One tactic is asking open-ended questions to encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings. For example, you might ask, “What was the best part of your day today?” or “If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?” Another approach is to find common interests and use them as a starting point for conversation. Maybe you both enjoy a particular TV show or sport. Whatever the case, showing genuine interest in what a child says can go a long way in building a solid relationship.