Your kids need to have great people skills as they grow up and enter real life. Those with great people skills land jobs, lead organizations, enjoy friendships and are more effective at influencing others for Christ.

One way to teach them great people skills is to model asking great questions and teaching them to ask great questions. Those who ask great questions become great listeners and those who are great listeners are considered great conversationalists.   By teaching your child to both ask great questions and listen to others you’re setting him up for success.

Here’s a parenting tip: Dinner time is the perfect time to practice this skill. While you’re eating dinner together try out some of these questions. A word of caution, you don’t want to come across like you’re interviewing them or like you’re trying to “teach” them something. If you do – they’ll be turned off. Take a genuine interest in them and their response and use the question as a spring-board to draw them out. Then gently, enter the discussion on how asking others questions is a great way to build friendships. You could even make this a game or competition, Who can come up with the best question to ask a friend? Winner doesn’t have to clear the table!

Here are a few questions to get you started:

1.What was the best part about your day? What made that moment so special?

2. Who do you dream about becoming when you’re grown up?

3. What do you love most about Jesus?

4. What do you think God is saying to you? How do you hear His voice?

5. What do you think makes a great friend?

6. What do you think the difference is between being smart and being wise?

7. When you get married, what are some of the qualities you’d like your future mate to have?

8. Who has been your favorite teacher so far? (What did you like about him or her specifically?)

9. What qualities do you think make a great leader?

10. What subject in school do you like the best? Which one bores you to tears?

A great practice before you take your child to a social event is to have them think of two questions they could ask others at the event. This helps calm nerves, teaches them great people skills, and prepares them for great friendships.

Now it’s your turn. Leave a comment with a question to ask your child. I’ll choose one and give away a free copy of The 30 Day Praise Challenge For Parents.