Twenty Questions to ask your children...

Life at this time of year is busy. On top of the usual demands of both grown ups in our house working full time, commitments of a blog and a scout troop to run, school and clubs for the children, there is also the extra pull of festive events, plays, Christmas parties and more. Sometimes it feels like the whole family is constantly on the go and we barely have a moment to really talk to each other. So when Shepherds Friendly got in touch to tell me about their 20 questions to ask your children worksheet, I thought it was an ideal opportunity to sit down with Elizabeth (6) and Ben (9) to have a chat and maybe reveal some interesting answers. I do of course chat to them both about their day on our walk home from after school club but they are often tired and sometimes the best I can get out of my eldest is what he had for lunch!




Over the weekend we sat down with with a hot chocolate and a biscuit each and I 'interviewed' both of my children using the worksheet available over on the Shepherds Friendly website. They loved the novelty of it and I found that some of the answers were predictable, others surprised me while a couple were just so heartwarming they nearly brought a tear to my eye. I've typed up their responses below:

Twenty Questions I asked my Children

1. What is your favourite colour?

Elizabeth: Green!

Ben: Red

2. Who is your best friend? 

E: Nathan

B: Billy

3. What is your favourite TV programme?

E: Skylanders

B: Horrible Histories

4. What do you want to be when you grow up?

E: A teacher and a mummy

B: An Author or an inventor

5. What car do you want to have when you grow up?

E: A blue one

B: BMW

6. If you could go anywhere in the world on holiday, where would you go?

E: Cornwall!

B: South Africa

7. Do you want to get married one day?

E: I’m not quite sure…

B: No

8. How many children would you like to have?

E: One

B: Four

9. What age are you when you become an adult?

E: 17

B: 20

10. What are you good at?

E: Skipping and drawing

B; Football and making up stories

11. If you had a superpower what would it be?

E: Fire!

B: Being able to teleport

12. If you had one wish, what would that be?

E: That everyone in the whole world is happy

B: To own a restaurant so I could eat there every day

13. What do I do as a job?

E: Earn money

B: Working in the glass building in Manchester

14. What are you scared of?

E: Nothing because I’m a brave girl

B: The dark

15. What is your favourite song?

E: Bohemien Rhapsody

B: 12 days of Christmas

16. What is your favourite class at school?

E: Dinosaur topic

B: Science because we're learning about Space at the moment

17. What is something I always say to you?

E: Love you lots like jelly tots

B: Be good

18. What is the hardest thing you've ever had to do?

E: Hard work at school

B: Carrying my heavy rucksack on a hike

19. What makes you happy? 

E: Playing with my friends

B: Playing with my friends

20. What makes you sad? 

E: When I fall over and get hurt

B: Being told off

Reading through the answers I can see both my children's individual personalities stand out. My kind and loving but fearless six year old who loves rocking out to Queen and my cautious and sensible but imaginative nine year old who adores his food and loves learning about the world he lives in!

As well as being something to look back on as they get older (I may even ask them again each year to see how things have changed), some of the answers my children gave made me reflect on how I talk to them. The fact that they didn't really understand what I did for work everyday surprised me and I will certainly try to be more open with them about this from now on. Their answers to question seventeen made me wonder if I talk differently to my son and my daughter, She remembers happy words of love while he has the cautionary reminder to 'be good' at the front of his mind. I will work on this.

Overall it was a fun little exercise that we all enjoyed, I would recommend having a go with your children, do let me know in the comments or on twitter if you get any funny or surprising answers!

How to join in:

• Download and print off the worksheet above
• Ask your child(ren) the questions and why not get them to colour in or decorate it too? You could even frame it!
• Why not take a picture and share it on social media to share with your family and friends
• Use the hashtag #ShepherdsTwenty so that you can share your child’s answers with other parents.
• Don’t forget to put a note in your diary to do it again next year (or just let it appear on timehop!)
The twenty questions to ask your children worksheet was designed and provided by Shepherds Friendly Society who offer a range of savings plans including a Junior Isa.

Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post.