How do i communicate with a 1st grader?

Question

I want to come up with a creative way for my little sister to communicate with me. She is in first grade and i'm a junior in high school. I babysit her on the weekends and over the summer. Shes pretty frustrating and really hard to handle and communicate with at times. She'll throw tantrums and kick and scream and we have this like timeout thing and stars and X's chart set up so i can handle that but sometimes after she settles down she'll come up to me and say how something was bothering her or that she was at her dad's (shes my step sister) and he did something that put her in a bad mood or something like that. Which brings me to the actual question, when i was in elementary school we had this "talking star" or something like that, each tip of the star said like "it hurt my feelings when you....." and stuff like that, but i can't remember it, anyway i want to have a creative and fun way for her to be able to come to me and talk to me about whats on her mind or if i did something that bothered her i want her to be able to open up and talk with me without feeling uncomfortable. So what i'm really asking for is an idea like that "talking star" or whatever Pleaseee help!

Answer 1

I'm a mom of a 1st grader, I find the best way to talk to my daughter is to sit down with her, one on one and just listen. Bed time is always great for this because it's quiet, she is relaxed and I am kneeling on the floor at her eye level. The information starts spilling out during that time. When she comes home from school she is like a clam, I can't get anything out of her, but bed time is a magic time and she gets very chatty. If you are having trouble getting her started, ask her to tell you a story, lots of times, they relate things about their days in their stories and you can pick up tidbits to ask her about.

I've never heard of a talking star, but I have heard of giving a child a heart to hang on their doorknob that kind of works as a Do Not Disturb sign, when its turned one way, the kid needs her privacy to be alone and think but when its turned the other it means the kid would like to talk. Dont know if that would help you or not.

BTW, I think this may be one of the nicest questions I have ever seen, you sound like a good big sister. Not may teenagers would go through this much trouble to figure out how to talk to a 7 year old. You are very special.

Answer 2

i am guessing that you are a bid sister i would suggest having a time when you guys chill together  a time when you let her know it is her time to talk and make sure you listen without interrupting the age difference is so great that you two will never be the kind of sisters that hang together but you can definantly be the kind of sister she can tell anything and that she can turn too

Answer 3

When I feel one of my girls needs to talk I announce that her and I are going to have a "slumber party" night.  I rent movies that she likes, buy foods she likes and I go to her level, I play the games she likes to play etc.  The night is devoted to just that one child and in the fun and playing she opens up and starts talking.  I have three daughters 11, 8 and 5.