Book Review: Q & A a Day for Kids

"What color of the rainbow do you feel like today?  Why?"

"What does someone else have that you want?"

"What do you think about when you wake up?"

"What silly thing did you do recently?"


These are a few of the questions you'll find in one of my new favorite Healing Story games. This post is for my sister-in-law.  She sent me a text asking what games we play at the dinner table because they needed a little something to direct conversation.  This is a must in our house!  If we don't have something ready for the boys to talk about they will choose the topic themselves.  It always goes one of two ways.  Either poop and body parts are the subjects or a not so friendly debate about who's the best.  Neither of these give us a very fine dining experience. To avoid these dinner talks I've learned to come prepared.  Here is one of my latest tools.

Q&A a Day for Kids by Betsy Franco is a delightful conversation starter that will end up being a cherished keepsake.  It is meant to be a three year journal for one kid but we use it for our whole family.  Each night we answer the question for that day and mark family members answers with their initials.  I have the adult version of this book for myself, which was a gift from my good friend Lanny (thank you friend!) two December's ago.  It has been fun to look back and see what my answers for last year were.  I was in such a different place with a newborn baby on my hands.  I can only imagine how my six year old and nine year old will change in three years.  Even better in three years I'm sure my now one year old will be putting in his two cents.  When I'm 80 years old this little book will make me cry! 

I consider this a Healing Story game because its fun!  But this book also helps our children tell their own stories.  Even more importantly it helps us, as their parents, listen to their stories.  This is HUGE for kids!  Most of the time we are too busy to catch the small things our children are trying to communicate to us.  Sometimes we just don't even realize they have something going on upstairs that is worth listening to.  But they do.  We just need to force ourselves to listen.  Not only are we listening with this book but we are recording their stories, too.  What better way to let our children know they are important?  It is a good way to do a little healing. 

So turn dinner time chaos into something more with this wonderful journal for kids.  It might still be chaotic but at least you'll have a record of it!

Happy Tales!
Kristen