Pillow Talk For Kids: Things We Can Talk To Our Kids About Before Bed

Having a dialogue or a primer with kids before bed for tomorrow’s day can help set the tone for the next day and maybe even the week!

When we’re putting our kids to bed, sometimes, having a conversation might be better than a bedtime story. It teaches them how to reflect, plan, and set goals for the next day. Also, before bed is the perfect time for kids to process hard feelings and forgive before the day ends so that they don’t carry the pain for too long. Here are some things parents can talk to their kids before they go to bed.

1. “What’s the thing you loved most about today?”

Talking about the part of the day the kids loved the most before bed encourages gratitude. Most of the time, social media conditions kids that a fun day needs something grand. But the little things are what build up to the big dreams they eventually have for themselves. On our end, as parents, we need to learn how to celebrate those little battles also. We learn a lot more from our losses than from our wins.

2. “What are things we could have done better today?”

We all make mistakes; we’re not perfect. Maybe, as a parent, we lost our temper with them when trying to teach them. For the kids, maybe it’s a task they wanted to get right immediately but couldn’t. Talking about it before bed also allows them to sleep on the thought and learn from it. The thoughts and reflections will float around in their mind for a while so they can understand it without distractions.

Moreover, it encourages them to be more solution-oriented with their mistakes. But doing this with them will give them the floor to confront us too. And if that triggers us, there are ways to deal with that.

3. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

Goal-setting is a soft skill that all kids need to learn. Asking them what they want to do the next day encourages them to do just that. It also teaches the kids how to go through things step-by-step, instead of procrastinating school work eventually becoming office work. And by talking it over with them, we’ll also know how to help them instead of fighting over the clash of schedules, intentions, and objectives.

Additionally, it’ll help get things done faster.

4. “What did you learn today?”

When we ask our kids what they learned today before bed, it encourages reflection and the habit of asking questions about things they don’t understand. It doesn’t always have to be something new; it can also be a deeper understanding of an existing lesson or concept. We can start the conversation with the kids by sharing what we also learned that day; knowledge is still a valuable currency, after all.

5. “Is there anything you want to eat tomorrow?”

Because the future is uncertain, deciding with the kids at least what they want to eat the next day before bed can make plans more concrete. Their food of choice can either be for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and at least, it solves the age-old family problem of where to eat. Of course, we have to expect our kids to change their minds after an 8-hour rest but at least we have an idea.

6. “Is there anything new you’d like to try?”

Kids are always on the prowl for something new and before bed is the best time to discuss that. When the kids get excited, they can go on and on before tiring themselves out for bed. While they might say something shocking or unorthodox, it’s still worth entertaining or listening to. The point of this exercise is to show kids that we’re still willing to listen while teaching them the skill of negotiation.

7. “What story would you like to hear today?”

We’re always picking the bedtime story but letting kids choose what they want to fall asleep to encourages them to be mindful of their preferences. Some fairytales can lose their flavor and novelty over time because they get predictable. Some parents even look up some stories that Dungeons and Dragons dungeon masters write to entertain their kids with amazing or epically comedic tales of heroes, magic, and dragons.

Since the outcomes of those stories depend on the players and a 20-sided dice, those stories can range from becoming an adventure-packed epic with a dash of crazy humor.

A little pillow talk with kids before bed might even help them sleep better!

Kids get cranky because they lack good quality sleep. We can have the softest linens in the world but, if their minds are all over the place, that won’t matter. Talking and smoothing things over with them can help them settle down and process big emotions that they had to repress for the whole day. It’s also bonding time for us, parents, so we can learn more about them.

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