"Nothing."

"I dunno."

"OK, I guess."

Quiz question: Can you guess the question that preceded each of these answers?

Hint: a parent asked the question of their child.

Give up? If you guessed it was a parent asking either, "What did you do at school today?" or "How did school go today?" then you are 100% correct! I have two kids of my own, and I've certainly been met with the same response.

It's a scene played out in homes all across America, probably all around the world. That's because kids are people, too, and they get tired after a long day just like we do. But you are an important adult in the life of a child, dear reader. And everyone appreciates someone taking a genuine interest in their lives, especially our kids.

So don't quit trying to engage in conversation with that young person because their answer is weak at first. Ask better questions!

Specificity and persistence are the keys. Toss a class name or teacher name in there, like "What did Mr. Capitani ask you to do in American History today?" or "My friend Dan says that the anatomy class is dissecting cats...is that what you're doing right now?" Follow that up with, "...That sounds kind of fun. Did you enjoy it? What did your friends think of that?" Dead end? Met with a shrug and a return to scrolling through their cell phone? Come back around later, the next day even. But don't give up. Be curious about their experiences at school, in class, at practice, during rehearsal. Follow up is important, because asking one question and then going back to watching Wheel of Fortune clearly shows you're not trying hard enough, either.

As a parent you will get out of the relationship what you put in to the relationship. Maintaining and cultivating a curiosity about your child's life--whether it's about school or elsewhere--will provide fertile ground for that relationship to flourish.