Interview your child at the end of the school year *UPDATED

It seems like only yesterday...

first day of school, 2009

At the end of my daughter's first year of kindergarten, I was ready to celebrate. I was proud of her, and I was proud of me for making it through my baby's first year of school. I was excited to have her home. 

I greeted her that last day of school with special treats, made by her brothers and sisters. I had saved some of her special artwork and papers, and I put together in a scrapbook for her. We looked through it together on the couch and talked about the year.  It was wonderful.

I have three kids coming home from their last day of school tomorrow. (Finishing kindergarten, first grade, and third grade.)

Would you like to see my scrapbooks this year?

Sigh. Those papers crammed in files are not going to get organized by tomorrow. Maybe that will be a summer project, and maybe this year, they can help me with it. I really just don't feel like sorting through all those papers right now.

I have another year-end celebration idea this year.

I will interview them.

I have not yet decided if I am going to ask them these questions on camera, or just write down their answers on paper.  Maybe both. This is not going to be a normal after school conversation. You know, the one like this:

"Hi honey, how was school?"
"It was good."

"What was your favorite thing today?"

"Everything. What's for snack?"

Do you have stimulating conversations like this at your house?

I want them to talk. 

I want to see through their eyes. I want to hear about the funniest kid in class, and what they like to do for recess when it rains. I want to know their favorite silly songs, their favorite books, their favorite thing for lunch.  Today. 

Now. 

Because these days are flying by.

The river is moving so fast.

I want to set the anchor down for just a moment, and spend time with them, right here.

Would you like to do that too?

I wrote some questions to get them talking.
I think you might like them.

Interview your child at the end of the school year!

Name

Age

Grade

1.       This school year is over. How do you feel about that?

2.       How was this year different from last year?

In the classroom

3.       What did you like most about your teacher?

4.       Who do you like to sit by in class?

5.       What is your favorite subject? Why?

6.       Name two books that you read this year that you liked. What did you like about these books?

7.       Did you have any extra helping jobs in your classroom this year? What were they?

8.       What jobs did you like? What jobs did you dislike?

9.       Who do you play with at recess?

10.   What is your favorite thing to do when recess is outdoors?

11.   What is your favorite thing to do when recess in indoors?

12.   What was the best birthday treat you had this year? Do you remember whose birthday that was?

13.   What songs do you sing at school? Tell me three of your favorites.

14.   Tell me about the one field trip this year.

15.   What was your favorite lunch?

16.   Did you like art class? What was your favorite project?

17.   What was the best thing about music class?

18.   Did you learn anything about computers this year? What?

19.   If you could only wear one outfit to school for a week, what would you wear?

20.   What is your favorite after-school snack?

21.   What do you usually do right after school?

22.   What else would you like to remember about this year? A funny story?

Friends

23.   If you fell on the playground, who would come running to help you?

24.   Who likes to make everybody laugh?

25.   Who likes to wear fancy clothes to school?

26.   Who likes to get dirty?

27.   If you started a snowball fight, who would join you?

28.   If I told you someone had to stay in for recess, who would you guess it was?

29.   Who runs the fastest?

30.   Who talks the loudest?

31.   If you needed someone to help you with your homework, who would you ask?

32.   If you were sad and needed someone to talk to, who would you choose?

33.   If you could spend a week with somebody else’s family, what family would you choose?

God’s care

34.   Do you remember any of your memory verses? Do you have a favorite?

35.   Did you have prayer time at school? What are some of the things you prayed for?

36.   Did God answer any of those prayers?

37.   Do you think you will like school next year? Why or why not?

38.   What do you think will be different next year?

39.   Did God take care of you at school this year? What did He do?

40.   What do you like about summer?

Thank you, God, for blessing me during this school year. Thank you for my teachers, principal, and pastor. Thank you for all of my friends. Please watch over all of them, and me too, this summer.  Thank You for Your unbreakable, never-stopping, deeper-than-the-ocean love for me. Thank you for always watching over me, Your dear child.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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What do you do to celebrate the end of the school year?