Our Goddaughter Likes SZA

I sat across my goddaughter and asked, “What music or artists are you enjoying right now?”

She grinned and mentioned several, including SZA—and a few others I actually knew.

Nothing deep. Or, intrusive.

But it was real. And it opened the door.

You want to connect with a kid?

Ask open-ended questions.

Not louder ones. Not fancier ones.

Just… open.

Wider. Gentler. Ones that say: I’m here. I’m listening. You matter.

💬 Instead of “How was your day?”

Try maybe: “What made you smile today?”

💬 Instead of “Did you do your homework?”

Consider: “What felt hard today?” or “What would make that easier?”

These kinds of questions don’t corner them. They invite them.

And people—of any age—respond better when they’re invited, not inspected.

In our culture, we’re taught to speak with respeto.

But we’re not always taught to listen with curiosidad.

That’s something I’m learning to do and model—across generations, across roles, across life.

Because curiosity is like opening a window.

It lets the air move.

It gives someone room to breathe out what they’ve been holding in.

➡️ Open-ended questions + genuine curiosity = real connection

Try this today:

Ask someone—young or grown—

“What’s something you’ve been thinking about lately?”

Then pause.

Let their world unfold.

What’s one open-ended question that’s helped you connect—with a child, a partner, or even yourself?

I’d love to learn from your experience.

www.myautenticoself.com

For Hispanos Asking Open-Ended Questions