Can Your Child Hold a 5-Minute Conversation?
Last week, a parent at a school event shared something that stuck with me. “My daughter can do a full coding project, but when someone asks her how her day was; she freezes.”
It’s not just her. In an age of quick texts and scrolling reels, extended face-to-face conversation is quietly becoming a lost skill. Kids are comfortable swiping, but struggle sustaining eye contact. They know how to reply, but not always how to respond. The ability to hold a five-minute conversation might sound simple but it's a major indicator of emotional intelligence, attention span, and confidence.
A 2017 study from the University of Michigan found that empathy levels in children have dropped nearly 40% over the past few decades correlating with the rise of digital media. Another report from Common Sense Media highlights that teens spend an average of over 8.5 hours a day on screens, with less than 35 minutes on in-person conversations outside of school. And it shows.
But let’s be clear this isn’t a blame-the-screens piece. It’s a gentle reminder that conversation is a skill and like any skill, it needs space and practice. Kids aren’t avoiding real conversations because they’re rude or distracted. Often, they just haven’t had enough non-digital reps. Think about it: How often do we model long, curious conversations at home without multitasking?
Try this: start small. Ask your child a weird question at dinner: “If animals could talk, which would be the most annoying?” Then let the discussion roll. Follow up. Let them interrupt, re-think, even get silly. You’re not just passing time, you're training their mind to explore, respond, and connect.
In learning environments that focus on dialogue like those used at Early Steps Academy children are encouraged to speak their minds and listen to others. It’s amazing what kids can express when they’re asked the right kinds of questions in the right setting.
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