15 questions to ask a 12-year-old
Twelve-year-olds can talk about almost anything, if they choose to. Short questions, real interest and no follow-up lecture keep the door open. Their answers this year are worth writing down more than ever.
- 1What is something about you that’s changed this year?
- 2What do you think people get wrong about kids your age?
- 3What is a rule of ours you think is fair, and one you think isn’t?
- 4What is the best thing a friend has done for you?
- 5What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?
- 6Who is someone online or in real life you think is a good influence?
- 7What is something you want to try before you’re thirteen?
- 8What does success look like to you?
- 9What would you tell a nine-year-old about being twelve?
- 10What is something you’re proud of from this year?
- 11What do you want to stay the same as you get older?
- 12What is a big question you think about?
- 13What is the most useful thing I’ve taught you?
- 14What should I know about your friends?
- 15What do you hope you remember about being twelve?
How to get real answers
- One or two questions, not the whole list. It’s a conversation, not an interview.
- Ask side by side: in the car, at bath time, on a walk, at bedtime.
- Don’t correct the answer. You’re collecting how they think, not checking it.
- Write it down in their exact words, with their age. Ask the same question next year and compare.
cuote it
Keep what they answer, with their age on it.
Cuote keeps the funny things your kids say, and asks you a question like these on quiet evenings.
