7 Questions to Ask Your Child at the End of the Year

Even though 2020 has been hard, take time to reminisce about the fond memories your family has made in the past 12 months.

Written By: Samantha Bailie

Being on lockdown was difficult for all of us for different reasons. For me, it was hard because I was pregnant for all of it. And I was chasing around an 18-month old! It was easily the most exhausting time of my life. We didn’t get to celebrate our pregnancy the way we would have liked. My husband couldn’t accompany me to my appointments, and he missed out on several ultrasounds. Even our hospital experience was strange. But despite all the weirdness, God gave us a baby! The sweetest, healthiest little boy we could have asked for.

I know my family isn’t the only one who experienced hardship this year. To put it plainly, 2020 was just hard. With all the craziness happening in the world, it’s tempting to dismiss it and move on. But we should take time to sit with our kids and discuss this past year. Try your best to find all the good that happened in 2020, but also take a few moments to process the not-so-good things, too. Here are 7 end-of-year questions for kids.

1. Which place was fun to visit this year?

Out of all the places your family went this year—a vacation, a trip to visit family, or a quick stop to grab ice cream—which trip does your child have fond memories of? Are there any places he or she wants to visit again in the future?

2. Who did you become better friends with this year?

Talk with your children about their friends. Is there an old friend they’ve grown closer to? Or maybe they’ve enjoyed a new friendship this past year.

3. What’s the hardest thing you did this year?

Some end-of-year questions for kids are hard to answer. This might be one. Have your child tell you about the most difficult thing he or she did this year. You can even take this opportunity to talk about how the “hard stuff” leads to “good stuff” like overcoming fears and taking on responsibility.

4. What’s the first memory about this year that pops into your head?

This is a fun one! Find out which memory your child remembers the most from this past year. Even though 2020 has been hard, take time to reminisce about the fond memories your family has made in the past 12 months.

5. What’s an adventure you would like to go on next year?

This is a great way to learn what truly excites your children. You can ask them to tell you about a wild adventure—even if it’s something you can’t realistically do next year. Then ask them to choose something they can realistically do, and maybe even help them think up a smaller version of the big adventure they have been dreaming of!

6. What’s something new you want to learn next year?

Is there a sport your child might be interested in trying out? Maybe he or she enjoys being in the kitchen and wants to learn how to bake a favorite dessert. Find out what current aspirations your child has! Use iMOM’s Goals Chart to get it on paper.

7. What things do you want to pray about for the upcoming year?

Sit down with your child and make a prayer list for the upcoming year. You can add to the list throughout the year or even help your child keep a journal. This is a great way to start a habit of prayer.

Add a couple of your own end-of-year questions for kids. What would you ask?

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