You ask "How was your day?" and get silence, shrugs, or "I don't know." It's not defiance—it's neurology. Direct questions assume developmental capacities your child might not have yet. Here's what actually works, backed by research and field-tested with real kids.

If your child loses it when it’s time to turn off screens or leave a playdate, it’s not bad behavior—it’s a brain under stress. Here’s what most parenting advice misses about transitions, and what actually helps.