For some children, the journey home is not the beginning of a conversation. It is the beginning of decompression. Imagine spending an entire day in a classroom, moving between lessons, teachers and friends, following rules and constantly processing information. Then, the moment you walk out of school, someone asks you to give them a detailed report of everything that happened.
You might not feel like talking either. Children can need the same pause.
Instead of immediately asking, “How was school?”, give them a few minutes. Offer them water or a snack. Let them sit quietly. Play some music. If they prefer, simply let them stare out of the window on the way home.
Sometimes, the child who says absolutely nothing in the car will start telling you a hilarious story while eating dinner an hour later.