I have learned that kids tell you the real stuff when they are not being asked. It comes out sideways, over mashed potatoes, in the middle of a joke.
So put the phones away and ask one small question. What was the best part of your day? What was the hardest? Then be quiet and really listen.
You do not need to fix anything. Most of the time they just want to be heard by someone who is glad to see them.
Do it most nights and it becomes the thing your family counts on. It is simple, it is free, and years later they will remember it.
